[Hidden-tech] WiredWest fiberoptic broadband

[Reva Reck]

I can't fault you for being skeptical, but the fact is that many parts 
of Western Mass might not, even now, have electrical or phone service if 
we had relied on commercial providers. While you can make a modest 
profit on a fiber optic network in a sparsely populated area, there is 
not enough return on investment to justify Verizon or Comcast committing 
resources. At best, they'll bring service to the more densely settled 
parts of town, and then the rest of us are still without service.

Since WiredWest is in business primarily to bring universal broadband 
access participating towns,  we look at AVERAGE connection costs for our 
entire service area, not at incremental costs to connect the folks that 
live far apart. This has been done in other rural areas, and it can be 
done sustainably, meaning without taxpayer subsidies. You're right that 
it will take a while. We have a lot of initial prep work to do before we 
can start building the network, but I am there is no doubt in my mind 
that WiredWest will reach me with fiber at least 2 decades before 
Verizon does!

/Reva Reck/

/reva//@//revareck.com/



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/
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
>     Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>     <mailto:Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net>
>
>     You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech
>     Discussion list.
>     If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the
>     Members   
>     page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
>     http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>
>      
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     _______________________________________________
>     Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
>     Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
>     You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech
>     Discussion list.
>     If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the
>     Members  
>     page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
>     http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members   
> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
> Version: 9.0.801 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2808 - Release Date: 04/13/10 02:32:00
>
>   
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.hidden-tech.net/pipermail/hidden-discuss/attachments/20100413/42111f25/attachment.html