[Hidden-tech] WiredWest fiberoptic broadband

[RA Cohen]

Satellite btw, while not a joke and currently available to rural 
residents across the US, is quite expensive, very limited in data 
allowance, and might more accurately be considered a "pseudo-broadband" 
kind of service - the fact is bandwidth is precious in the 
extra-terrestrial realm...

I do want to report Conway just passed the article at its town meeting 
last night hopefully all the towns will do so! I wonder if Comcast will 
have a change of heart out in W Mass when it sees WiredWest get going 
and realize the possibility exists they will lose their current 
subscribers to what hopefully will be a better, maybe cheaper 
service...certainly a more community-minded service...

On 04/12/2010 10:39 PM, Ed Morris wrote:
>     ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>     ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
>    
>
>
> 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
> http://www.massbroadband.org/
> http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=032510_broadband&csid=Agov3 
> <http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=032510_broadband&csid=Agov3>
> 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.  :)
> -Ed Morris
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Town Websites <mailto:townwebsites at gmail.com>
>     *To:* 'Hidden Tech' <mailto:Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net>
>     *Sent:* Monday, April 12, 2010 3:07 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [Hidden-tech] WiredWest fiberoptic broadband
>
>        ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the
>     member's area.
>        ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>     Hi Nestor, the towns identified by the Wired West initiative are
>     those that currently have limited or no broadband access. I don't
>     think Wired West formed as an anti business initiative, but rather
>     a pro-resident one in an area where the private sector hasn't been
>     able to identify a business model to provide nearly universal access.
>
>     I don't know a lot about Wired West except what I learned in  a
>     brief conversation with one of the members of its board.  It
>     sounds like a group of tech savvy residents in underserved towns
>      who think there may be  a better way to do things in a rural area
>     than by following the business and service models that work well
>     in higher density areas.  I hope they've crunched their numbers,
>     technologies, and residents interests well enough to actually
>     deliver but regardless, I applaud their taking the initiative and
>     wish them well, whether the end result is exactly as they have
>     imagined or some other outcome that extends the reach of broadband
>     to underserved towns.
>
>     Charlie Heath
>
>     Town Websites
>
>     *From:* hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
>     [mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] *On Behalf
>     Of *nestor at fuzzy-math.com
>     *Sent:* Monday, April 12, 2010 11:32 AM
>     *To:* Reva Reck
>     *Cc:* Hidden Tech
>     *Subject:* Re: [Hidden-tech] WiredWest fiberoptic broadband
>
>     Wow, this is great!   I did notice, however, that there are not
>     any towns on the main "corridor" that have joined in.  This seems
>     like a great alternative to Comcast, Charter, etc... hopefully
>     towns such as NoHo, Greenfield, etc would also see this as an
>     opportunity to bring in future-proof infrastructure improvements
>     at a time when the future of open and democratic communications
>     are unsure.
>
>     On Apr 10, 2010, at 3:59 PM, Reva Reck wrote:
>
>
>
>       ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the
>     member's area.
>       ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
>     Those of you who live in western Mass. towns with limited or no
>     broadband should know about an exciting new initiative to bring
>     fiber optic cable to anyone with a landline phone or grid
>     electricity in participating towns. WiredWest will be a
>     municipally controlled, non-taxpayer funded company offering
>     really fast internet, hdTV, and phone services. Over 30 towns have
>     placed articles on their town meeting warrants to join together to
>     create this network.
>
>     To see if your town is involved, and to learn more about this
>     effort, visit http://wired-west.net/
>
>     -- 
>
>     /Reva Reck/
>
>     /reva at revareck.com/
>
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