WISP - technical definition

(1) (Wireless ISP) An ISP that provides fixed or mobile wireless services to its customers. Using Wi-Fi or proprietary wireless methods, WISPs provide last mile access to rural areas and small villages as well as industrial parks at the edge of town. For example, Clearwire Corporation is a WISP that uses a preliminary version of WiMAX to deliver the Internet to customers in the U.S., Ireland, Belgium and Denmark (see WiMAX). See ISP, fixed wireless, WISPr and 802.11.

(2) A Web payment service from Trivnet, Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel (www.trivnet.com). It specializes in premium digital content that is billed to Internet service provider (ISP), telephone company or credit card accounts. WISP uses patented technology that recognizes you online so there is nothing to download and no password to remember. If the merchant uses the credit card facility, your credit card information has to be entered one time. WISP supports micropayments and charges the account at the end of the month. See Web payment service.