Ricochet Is Bouncing Back!

[Brad Adrian]

<a href="http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/technology/article/0,1299,DRMN_49_1324401,00.html">http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/technology/article/0,1299,DRMN_49_1324401,00.html</a><br /><br />Denver, Colorado's <i>Rocky Mountain News</i> reported something exciting today: Aerie Networks will be re-launching its high-speed Ricochet wireless service in Denver on Thursday, August 15. The service, which had formerly been provided by the now-bankrupt Metricom Corporation, has been unavailable since last year.<br /><br />"In a news conference with Mayor Wellington Webb, Ricochet president Mort C. Aaronson plans to announce Thursday that Ricochet parent Aerie Networks of Denver will make this city the first in a string of 'revival' markets for the technology...The company originally planned to re-launch first in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but [Aerie] said the pieces fell into place more quickly in Denver. The company now plans to launch in San Diego next month and in San Francisco by the end of the year."<br /><br />The service, which delivers wireless data at a rate of about 176kps, will cost $44.95 per month and requires a special modem, which costs $99.95. That's not really as expensive as it sounds, because that's an "all you can eat" price; there's no limit imposed to how much data you can squeeze through. Even so, you'd either have to have a pretty compelling need for wireless connectivity OR be an incredible geek (!) to spend that much just per month, right?<br /><br />Why do I have a sudden urge to pack up and move to Denver? (Thanks for the news tip, Shane!)

[dunneldeen]

Being from San Diego, I'd be all over it if they decide to offer a CF card solution. I have a number of friends that used the old richochet network, before it went out of business, and their reviews were pretty encouraging. We'll see tho.

[Underwater Mike]

Now if only I could get back all the 401(k) money that I LOST WHEN METRICOM FILED BANKRUPTCY! Funny enough, I just received court papers last week. :(

[dbrahms]

I've held onto my ricochet modem ($300 at the time) for over a year...waiting for it to come back. Ricochet was ordered back in service for emergency managment agencies when 9/11 happened here in NYC so the network must still be active all over. I still get high signal strength when i plug it in...just can be authenticated/registered on the network. The new pricing is great...but Ricochet people said it will hit NYC beginning of next year. Not sure why though...With Verizon 1xrtt and sprint's 1xrtt technology available, why would they wait for the competition to become more saturated in areas they could compete in?

[Perry Reed]

I had Ricochet's old slow-speed service back in the Bay Area in California. I guess I am a geek, because I loved it! One of the best features of the service, that they never really marketed well, was how stable it was. I'd come home from work on Friday, fire up my laptop on the living room coffee table and log in. On Monday morning, I'd still be logged in when I shut it down to go to work.

Made quick checks of my email and such very convenient.


Now I've got my PPC with 802.11 and a cable modem...

[Wes Salmon]

Hopefully Seattle is high on the list to revive as well. Once they flip the switch it'll be time to dig out an old Aircard 400 and see what's what!

[puithove]

This is great news. I think we need to see more competition in the wireless data market. It has been left too much to the wireless phone companies.

I'd like to see more done with 802.11x technology. Maybe with the increased bandwidth and range of the 802.11a or maybe 802.11g once they become widely available and the price comes down. I don't see why a company couldn't do something similiar to the Ricochet idea with this technology. Access points could be hung from telephone poles and street lights in the same way.

I don't personally know enough about it to know that it is truly feasible though.

[Underwater Mike]

Metricom used to have a big presence in the DC market, and my neighborhood (near Dulles) has Ricochet boxes on lightpoles everywhere! Unforutately, they never rolled out the high-speed service in this immediate area before the network went dark, but all our sales reps used to have the modems Velcroed (sp?) to their notebook machines.

Given the pricing offered by my carrier, Sprint, as well as the need for a new phone and interface card (no Bluetooth phones yet), I'd prefer a WiFi-type solution as well. Less junk to carry aound...

[don996cab]

riccochet was the best wireless service I ever used! I traveled between SF, LA and NYC, and it worked flawlessly. From waiting at the airport, hotel rooms 30 floors up, to being in a coffee shop.

Speed was well over 128kbs, sometimes reaching 200kbs. I had downloads averaging 20+KB/s.

I would sign up again if they rehooked LA and SF again.

[danmanmayer]

So does anyone know if this service will be reaching boulder any time soon? With that kind of speed i could forget a cell phone set up some voice over IP and boooyaaaah. That would be so sweet. I could then start hosting my website off my pocketpc instead of my OPENBSD box.... hmmm maybe that last part wouldn't be such a good idea but you have to admit it would be pretty cool. Giddy anyways does it reach boulder please say yes.

[nox]

I cant wait !!

I just called ricochets 1800 number , and unfortunetly they are not taking preorders , sucks because I want to be the first one.

I think Ricochet works best for my life style.

I need to be connected 24hrs a day. I make good side money on ebay , and I need to check my transactions on a per hour basis. This Service would allow me to be right on top of my EBAY business , Not only will this work on my Gateway Notebook , But my Casio E-200. I bought an AIRCARD400 wireless NIC card not to long ago on ebay for 40 bucks. Its just too bad it doesnt Work On my G4 Titanium Notebook.

I also Dont get home until 10pm at night , and buying DSL or CAble would be a waste of money, I can take my internet anywhere.

Theres 2 PC cards that work on the Ricochet network , Merlin Card , and the Aircard400. Theres 2 major differences , 1 is a modem , 1 is a NIC card. The merlin card is a modem and you are required to dial-up. The Aircard400 is always on all the time NIC card. The only advantage Merlin card has over Aircard is that , the Merlin card will work on a MAC , even on OS X, Drivers are included for Merlin card natively.

Also some one mentioned that if there was a CF solution for ricochet , If you check on EBAY some guy was selling a Ricochet CF Adapter , which would still require the actual modem. Or else get a PCCARD Sleeve and get a AIRCARD 400.

anyways Im so excited about this.

[wesk]

I live in a part of the Denver area that has no high speed available. So I called Ricochet today when I saw the news on this site. They told me the Denver rollout that is starting tomorrow only includes Denver and Denver county. (Not where I live :cry: ) They wouldn't tell me when the rest of the metro area will be turned on. Hopefully I will get that information in the press release tomorrow. If you're signed up for advance notification on their website you will receive an e-mail about the release.

Wes

[the_rapture]

I wonder where Colorado Springs will fall into this.... I hope they give us a list of when to expect it in other cities. I'd probably give up my Sprint Broadband for the mobililty of it, though the speed is slower.

[madmaxmedia]

The price is pretty damn good IMO- unlimited wireless access at relatively high speeds for a wired broadband rate? Pretty good tradeoff for those who need it.

I haven't taken the plunge yet for broadband, if Ricocchet is available in Los Angeles I'll have to mull this one over...