What Is Wi5 Connect?

Wi5 Connect is a small network of wireless base-stations operated by 5NINES (a local provider of “enterprise cloud, data, and Internet services”), which offers wireless, medium-speed Internet access in the city of Madison. WiFiMadison.com is a “buyer’s club for bandwidth” operated by Osmond Technologies, which handles Wi5 Connect residential sales and fulfillment, plus first-level customer and technical support.

Wi5 Connect is similar to your voice cell-phone service: it is wireless “best-effort” technology. This means that, just like your cellphone, there may be occasional momentary fades and drop-outs. There may be some locations that are reception “dead-spots”. But all in all, it delivers all the bandwidth that a typical household needs, very smoothly. Sufficient for a Netflix stream or two, plus all the email and web-browsing you like.

Pros:

    • Low Cost!  ($20/month, not $50-70/month)
    • No cables or wires to your house (to fail from heavy rains or ice storms)
    • Net Neutral (to the maximum of our ability)

Cons:

    • Sign-up cost ($150 fee for membership and router)
    • Speed limitations (not suited for bandwidth-intensive home-business use)
    • Possible coverage issues at some locations
    • Limited up-load speeds

Membership fees payable:

  • as a single first-month payment of $150 (includes first month’s subscription)
  • as 5 monthly payments of $30 added to first 5 months’ subscription charges
    (first 5 months @ $50/mo; subsequent months @ $20/mo)

Osmond Technologies is a disabilities-owned and operated technology-services company. Its founder is a Madison native and second-generation tech services professional.

 

5NINES has been delivering enterprise-level IT infrastructure consulting, hosting, and management solutions to businesses of all sizes for over 13 years.