[Hidden-tech] WiredWest fiberoptic broadband

[Robert Heller]

At Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:39:23 -0400 Ed Morris <ed_morris at comcast.net> wrote:

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> MIME-Version: 1.0
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>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> Appologies for posting with a tone of skepticism, I commend
> coordinated community action when something needs to be done - but it
> seems by the time a small local inititive if/when gets agreed, funded
> and moving, other options may become more attractive:
> 
> http://www.high-speed-internet-access-guide.com/satellite/rural-internet.html

Satellite Internet is problematical (and probably always will be). There
are several problems:

1) Weather issues.  Certains kinds of bad weather takes it out.
2) Limited bandwidth.  Right now, the Satellite Internet is limited to
like 1-2 MegBits down (less up).  Fiber Optic is good for 100+ MegBits
Up/Down (with current technology -- the *fiber itself* is actually good
for much, much higher bandwidth -- far higher than current model
computers can handle).
3) Latency.  This is probably the killer.  With latency times as high as
500ms *per connection*, many modern web sites actually load *slower*
with Satellite than with dialup!  Between DNS lookups for multiple
servers, loading lots of images, many .css and/or .js files, the
per-connection latency very quickly adds up.  The latency also makes
video conferencing over the net nearly imposible.  VOIP barely works. 
VPN works poorly.  SecondLife recomends *against* using a satelite
connection. 
4) Fair Use Policy.  Because Satellite Internet funnels to a single (or
2-3) downlinks, the backhaul is shared by the entire customer base.  To
prevent a total overload of the backhaul, Satellite providers implement
a "Fair Use Policy" 24-hour download limit (which happens to work out
as the total amount of download as one would get from 24-hours of 56K
modem use!).
5) Oh, another problem, esp. in northern latatudes is hills and trees. 
One needs a *clear* southwestly view, fairly close to the horizon to
access the satelites. If you are on the north side of a heavily forested
hill, you are out of luck.

Satellite Internet is at best, a temporary, stopgap solution.  For many
people, it is barely better than dialup. 

> 
> http://www.massbroadband.org/
> 
> http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=032510_broadband&csid=Agov3

WiredWest is end-user 'face' of what the MBI is doing.  The WiredWest
entity is not in 'competition' with the commonwealth's broadband
inititive, it is the same thing.  The MBI's plan is to build out the
'middle mile' (fiber optic backbone) as a state-owned thing, and then
lease use of it to a community-owned entity (eg WiredWest) to operate
it and build out the 'last mile' (drops to individual homes and
businesses).

> 
> 
> I don't think it's a matter of 'IF' high speed internet access will
> ever reach rural areas, it's more a matter of when.    Back when roads
> were starting to be built around the US, rural communities didn't try
> to pave their own...they advocated the gov and dealt with country road
> until the funding made it out their way.   This is one reason property
> value and property taxes are more expensive in more populated areas:
> the choice of convienence.   Like paved roads, high speed utility
> access will eventually make it to you and everywhere....you'll just
> have a bumpy ride till then.  :)

Yes, we know.  I've been on the Wendell Broadband Committee for several
years and we have been working on various solutions to getting high
speed internet to Wendell and other 'hill towns' for years.

> 
> 
> -Ed Morris

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
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