iZones Widening Columbia's Wireless Web Network

by Jordan Milne

January 26,2008

On any given day at Shakespeare's Pizza, a smattering of customers can be found tapping and clicking away on laptop computers while connected to the Internet through a high-speed wireless system set up by iZones

"Our guests can surf and slurp at the same time," said Kurt Drennen Mirtsching, the director of marketing and "some other stuff" for Shakespeare's Pizza. "Previously, we had no service for our customers, and our internal office had dial-up. We may as well have had two tin cans and a string."

iZones may sound like the newest gadget from Apple, but it's actually a small and local but swiftly growing wireless Internet service provider (WISP) and network integrator that keeps a variety of Columbia businesses and residences connected.

In 2002, iZones started out strictly as a WISP with an application gateway atop the Tiger Hotel. The iZones partners since have developed a vision to place a high-speed wireless Internet ring around Columbia, linked to a data center fed by a Tier 1 fiber optic network.

The company has four full-time employees and works with a number of local network integration companies. "However, we are growing, and our business plan calls for 15 new employees next year," said Tim Worstell, vice president of sales and development.

One facet of the expansion happened within the past month, when iZones bought out E3-Group.

"E3 has a microwave radio network for high-speed Internet distribution in buildings, and iZones has a local distribution network designed for individual users and their laptops," said Clay Atkins, former president of E3-Group. "With our services blended together, there are many more benefits."

Worstell added, "After becoming E3's largest customer, we are taking over all the infrastructure and clientele. Our ultimate goal is to have coverage for everyone and provide wireless for every person on their laptop."

iZones currently utilizes a fixed wireless system that requires antennas to be installed at the clients' locations. Service availability is dependent upon the clients' proximity to their transmission towers, which generally is 3–4 miles.

iZones provides businesses with broadband Internet connections using T1 data circuits over radio signals transmitted in the 5 gigahertz spectrum to locations such as the Buttonwood Business Center, Delta Systems and several apartment complexes. Clients get 24 digitized channels, allowing transmission of 1.5 megabits per second of data. In plainer terms, the
data pipeline is big enough for companies to host their own Web sites and FTP servers, use voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and run mail servers.

In addition to Shakespeare's, iZones clients with 2.4-gigahertz WiFi connections enabling them to offer free wireless service inside the buildings include the Columbia Regional Airport, the Wabash Bus Station, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Uprise Bakery, the Sub Shop, Sake Japanese Bistro, several University of Missouri fraternities and sororities, and the Special Business District office.

"When we started using iZones three years ago, we were on dial-up, so our service is much faster now," said Carrie Gartner, the SBD director. "We are a non-for-profit with old computers, and Tim did a great job of working around that and adapting the software. Many downtown buildings are also not wired for cable, so this makes wireless a fantastic
option."

The process begins with iZones installing access points, which consist of an antenna and a router, at the location. The access points transmit a radio signal to the WiFi 802.11b wireless network card in the user's computer, which will then allow the user to launch a login page on his or her browser.

"For multiple-dwelling units (MDUs), we are the Internet service provider (ISP) that provides the bandwidth into the location and then distributes it via WiFi," said Worstell. "We put wireless access points all over the complex to give Internet access to each of the inhabitants, no matter their location at the time."

Worstell said that because iZones owns its entire network and is not beholden to a phone company, its connections are immune to the vulnerabilities of traditional wire line networks, such as legacy equipment failures and fiber cuts. iZones also says its installation typically occurs within hours of the order, thanks to its rapid installation program.

"We offer a Flex 3.0 product for $498 a month, which provides a dedicated T1 with an addition 1.5 burstable bandwidth, for a total of 3.0 Mbps," said Atkins. "No other Internet service provider in Columbia can do that."

With the combined companies, the iZones fixed wireless broadband network delivers high-speed Internet access supporting VoIP, bandwidth on demand, wireless redundancy, disaster recovery, bundled data and video services. In addition, iZones provides a number of other networking solutions, including server collocation, infrastructure management, site monitoring services and security risk assessment.

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