[Hidden-tech] WiredWest fiberoptic broadband

[Robert Heller]

At Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:25:07 -0400 Christopher Eliot <cre at chriseliot.com> wrote:

> 
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> How about:
> >
> > -- State builds a regional fiber network to every town (MBI is  
> > working on this)
> > -- Towns build a municipal fiber network to every street (town funds  
> > via bonding like building a road or bridge)
> 
> With a wireless access point every quarter or half mile along the  
> street? Would that be enough? Can wireless reach 1/8 or 1/4 miles?

Would not work well on twisty, hilly, heavily forested back roads. 
You'd need so many wireless access points that it would be cheaper to
just run fiber.  Also, the wireless access points won't handle VOIP or
Cable TV.  The fiber would.  Note: many people in the 'unservered' and
'underserved' towns live in houses set off from the main roads, ofter
behind a screen of trees.  The trees will kill a wireless signal from
the road.  Putting 2-3 wireless links to get around the trees and get
down the twisty driveway is not cost effective.  The hill towns are NOT
laid out like a classic suburban development.  Wendell does NOT look
anything like RT9 in Hadley!  

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