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Re: Ricochet update- Auction

From: Kevin Wang <>
Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 13:31:24 -0700

 From Thomas Edwards
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2001, Bryan Hurley wrote:
> > but Ricochet is auctioning off all its assets on August 16, 2001 10am in
> > San Jose...
> 
> They can do that, but what about the WAP on the light pole at the end of
> my road?  No one has the cash to go grab all those things, either they
> have to go to someone to turn back on, or they all just go dead.  

I'm sure there's a clause in their contract in each municipality
(each city) with whom they've purchased the right-of-way that they are
responsible for their removal.

 From TRAICOVN (NW)
> It'll be interesting to see what the markets go for. No Reserve auctions
> are kinda interesting. I've seen 35,000.00 pieces of equipment that were
> never used go for 750.00...  Heh. Maybe a group should get together and
> buy the market in their area. If the cost is low enough, then you'll make
> money, heh. If it's really low enough you might be able to afford to give
> away access incredibly cheap or free. Most likely though a couple of cell
> companies will suck up all the markets. drats.

Remember that if you assume responsibility for the hardware, you also
assume responsibility for their removal should you decide to decomission
the hardware or go bankrupt yourself.

I doubt that any cell phone service provider will pickup metricom, unless
it's for the licensed spectrum that they own.  ricochet is proprietary
hardware on a proprietary network and high cost of operation, since they
have contracted with each city individually for permission to put the
modem up on the light pole.

Cell providers on the other hand can just deal with a private party to
erect a tower with a bunch of antennas on it every few miles.  No need
to purchase right-of-way on so many light poles.

It's a huge burden, and imho the primary reason that they failed;
right-of-way is expensive, and negotiating with cities one-by-one is
prohibitively complicated and time consuming.

   - Kevin

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