Even though technology standards still are being developed and companies are scrambling to find their niches on the wireless spectrum, investors seem to be well informed about this rapidly developing industry. While a raft of earlier startups such as Vyyo, Ensemble, NextNet and Nucentrix are competing to expand service rollouts, there's a new flock of entrants that are attracting capital.
People love the sector.
Fixed wireless players are finding financial support from potential customers including ILECs and CLECs and equipment manufacturers, as well as more traditional sources like institutional investors and venture capital companies. Several of those potential customers again are investing in a second private placement round expected to close early this month. Kite Networks and BeamReach are representative of the smaller companies in various stages of development and deployment across the fixed wireless broadband industry. May. The company's second market, Houston, launched in December and operations are to begin this month in New Orleans. Air2Lan's goal is 40 markets by 2003.