DIY Broadband- High Speed solutions for remote areas
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/02/14/172011262/diy-broadban... In a fast-moving world, people from all over have demanded faster Internet speeds. But when you live out in the middle of nowhere, you can feel like you're in the Internet slow lane because broadband just isn't available. Residents of England's rural Lancashire decided that enough was enough with their slow, limited connections. They came to the conclusion that no major supplier would be out their way anytime soon, the BBC reports<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21442348>. Broadband companies said it would be too expensive to wire up the sparsely populated area. So Lancashire residents took matters into their own hands and createdB4RN<http://b4rn.org.uk/> (pronounced "barn") — Broadband for the Rural North. [image: In much of America, the availability of online video is often frustrated by slow broadband speeds. In this 2011 photo, Valerie Houde waits for a dial-up Internet connection in East Burke, Vt.]<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/10/25/163570116/watching-tv-...> All Tech Considered <http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/>Watching TV Online Often Exposes Slow Bandwidth<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/10/25/163570116/watching-tv-...> [image: Broadband Internet access at home.]<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/03/23/149215373/tracking-hig...> All Tech Considered <http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/>Tracking High-Speed Internet In Your Neighborhood<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/03/23/149215373/tracking-hig...> Funded and operated by volunteers in the community, B4RN digs trenches to lay the fiber optic wires necessary to connect the residents to super-high-speed Internet for less than $50 per month. A few locals have already been hooked up to the local network and their once ancient and tired computers are catching up with the times. Resident Harry Ball tells the BBC he's thrilled to be getting download speeds of 500 Mbps. "That's fabulous, isn't it?" he says. By comparison, the average U.S. Internet connection speed is a pokey 7.2 Mbps and the U.K. average is 6.3 Mbps, according to Akamai<http://www.akamai.com/dl/akamai/q3_2012_soti_infographic.pdf>. But both lag behind South Korea, which averages 14.7 Mbps (with average peaks of 48.8 Mbps). Watch the BBC's report <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21455795>. Glenn McKnight, B.A, M.A Chair: Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities(FBSC) IEEE HIC Committee Member IEEE PES CSI Committee Member ICANN NARALO Member Oshawa, Ontario Canada glenn.mcknight@ieee.org SKYPE: gmcknight
And this relates to NARALO, how? j On Sun, Feb 17, 2013 at 5:29 PM, Glenn McKnight <glenn.mcknight@ieee.org> wrote:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/02/14/172011262/diy-broadban...
In a fast-moving world, people from all over have demanded faster Internet speeds. But when you live out in the middle of nowhere, you can feel like you're in the Internet slow lane because broadband just isn't available.
Residents of England's rural Lancashire decided that enough was enough with their slow, limited connections. They came to the conclusion that no major supplier would be out their way anytime soon, the BBC reports<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21442348>. Broadband companies said it would be too expensive to wire up the sparsely populated area.
So Lancashire residents took matters into their own hands and createdB4RN<http://b4rn.org.uk/> (pronounced "barn") — Broadband for the Rural North. [image: In much of America, the availability of online video is often frustrated by slow broadband speeds. In this 2011 photo, Valerie Houde waits for a dial-up Internet connection in East Burke, Vt.]<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/10/25/163570116/watching-tv-...> All Tech Considered <http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/>Watching TV Online Often Exposes Slow Bandwidth<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/10/25/163570116/watching-tv-...> [image: Broadband Internet access at home.]<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/03/23/149215373/tracking-hig...> All Tech Considered <http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/>Tracking High-Speed Internet In Your Neighborhood<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/03/23/149215373/tracking-hig...>
Funded and operated by volunteers in the community, B4RN digs trenches to lay the fiber optic wires necessary to connect the residents to super-high-speed Internet for less than $50 per month.
A few locals have already been hooked up to the local network and their once ancient and tired computers are catching up with the times. Resident Harry Ball tells the BBC he's thrilled to be getting download speeds of 500 Mbps. "That's fabulous, isn't it?" he says.
By comparison, the average U.S. Internet connection speed is a pokey 7.2 Mbps and the U.K. average is 6.3 Mbps, according to Akamai<http://www.akamai.com/dl/akamai/q3_2012_soti_infographic.pdf>. But both lag behind South Korea, which averages 14.7 Mbps (with average peaks of 48.8 Mbps).
Watch the BBC's report <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21455795>.
Glenn McKnight, B.A, M.A Chair: Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities(FBSC) IEEE HIC Committee Member IEEE PES CSI Committee Member ICANN NARALO Member Oshawa, Ontario Canada glenn.mcknight@ieee.org SKYPE: gmcknight ------ NA-Discuss mailing list NA-Discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/na-discuss
Visit the NARALO online at http://www.naralo.org ------
-- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast WWWhatsup NYC - http://wwwhatsup.com http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com VP (Admin) - ISOC-NY - http://isoc-ny.org -------------------------------------------------------------- -
On the last call there was some discussion about slow speeds in Canada -----Original Message----- From: na-discuss-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org [mailto:na-discuss-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org] On Behalf Of Joly MacFie Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 7:16 PM To: Glenn McKnight Cc: NA Discuss Subject: Re: [NA-Discuss] DIY Broadband- High Speed solutions for remote areas And this relates to NARALO, how? j On Sun, Feb 17, 2013 at 5:29 PM, Glenn McKnight <glenn.mcknight@ieee.org> wrote:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/02/14/172011262/diy-br oadband-comes-to-the-english-countryside
In a fast-moving world, people from all over have demanded faster Internet speeds. But when you live out in the middle of nowhere, you can feel like you're in the Internet slow lane because broadband just isn't available.
Residents of England's rural Lancashire decided that enough was enough with their slow, limited connections. They came to the conclusion that no major supplier would be out their way anytime soon, the BBC reports<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21442348>. Broadband companies said it would be too expensive to wire up the sparsely populated area.
So Lancashire residents took matters into their own hands and createdB4RN<http://b4rn.org.uk/> (pronounced "barn") - Broadband for the Rural North. [image: In much of America, the availability of online video is often frustrated by slow broadband speeds. In this 2011 photo, Valerie Houde waits for a dial-up Internet connection in East Burke, Vt.]<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/10/25/163570116/w atching-tv-online-often-exposes-slow-bandwidth> All Tech Considered <http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/>Watching TV Online Often Exposes Slow Bandwidth<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/10/25/163570 116/watching-tv-online-often-exposes-slow-bandwidth> [image: Broadband Internet access at home.]<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/03/23/149215373 /tracking-high-speed-internet-in-your-neighborhood> All Tech Considered <http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/>Tracking High-Speed Internet In Your Neighborhood<http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/03/23/149 215373/tracking-high-speed-internet-in-your-neighborhood>
Funded and operated by volunteers in the community, B4RN digs trenches to lay the fiber optic wires necessary to connect the residents to super-high-speed Internet for less than $50 per month.
A few locals have already been hooked up to the local network and their once ancient and tired computers are catching up with the times. Resident Harry Ball tells the BBC he's thrilled to be getting download speeds of 500 Mbps. "That's fabulous, isn't it?" he says.
By comparison, the average U.S. Internet connection speed is a pokey 7.2 Mbps and the U.K. average is 6.3 Mbps, according to Akamai<http://www.akamai.com/dl/akamai/q3_2012_soti_infographic.pdf>. But both lag behind South Korea, which averages 14.7 Mbps (with average peaks of 48.8 Mbps).
Watch the BBC's report <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21455795>.
Glenn McKnight, B.A, M.A Chair: Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities(FBSC) IEEE HIC Committee Member IEEE PES CSI Committee Member ICANN NARALO Member Oshawa, Ontario Canada glenn.mcknight@ieee.org SKYPE: gmcknight ------ NA-Discuss mailing list NA-Discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/na-discuss
Visit the NARALO online at http://www.naralo.org ------
-- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast WWWhatsup NYC - http://wwwhatsup.com http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com VP (Admin) - ISOC-NY - http://isoc-ny.org -------------------------------------------------------------- - ------ NA-Discuss mailing list NA-Discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/na-discuss Visit the NARALO online at http://www.naralo.org ------
All, I could attempt to reply to Joly who challenged (or "asked" if one thinks it a neutral gesture inelegantly stated) with these mortal words "And this relates to NARALO, how?" ... but that would be a re-tour through the does-or-doesn't one of the "N"s in "ICANN" have anything to do with numbers. There is legislation pending in the state of Georgia which will make municipalities unable to construct municipally owned networks. This incapacity would apply to municipal conduit capacity, unlit municipal dark fiber in municipal conduits, lit municipal fiber in municipal conduits, and municipally operated networks operating over lit municipal fiber in municipal conduits. In Maine, where I have a interest in a business operation which includes narrow-band and broad-band ISP, and the rest of rural Northern New England, the wireline ILEC has sold off its entire rural operation, and will be making no further investment in bandwidth improvements outside of the metro east corridor. The urban market is a duopoly and the wireless market is similarly concentrated to small oligopoly. The over all situation is not unique to rural Maine, and former ICANN Board member Susan Crawford's recent book length work, "Captive Nation", addresses the lack of competition in the broadband access market. The situation in Canada is only marginally different, with an equivalent end affected through slightly different policy and agency means. In short, pricing is higher than "the market" where there is broadband, and where there is broadband, the bandwidth available is an order of magnitude less than in regions where the regulatory model has not been captured by the industry the regulator(s) were created to regulate, in the public interest. Were Verisign and NeuStar to lobby local governments in some or all of North America to pass legislation preventing municipalities, singly or in aggregate, from operating municipal namespaces, even the very, very dim might be able to apprehend that this relates to NARALO in some not terribly obscure form. The legislative barrier to public networks is not limited to a few corrupt members of the Georgia legislature. Unlike municipalities, which may issue state and federal tax exempt bonds for any purpose of government, Indian Tribes in the United States are constrained to those purposes which are strictly governmental, through the unfortunate but intentional application of the IRS Code promoted by a single anti-gaming member of Federal Congress from Florida. This means that Tribal Governments can not, as a matter of law, in the United States, issue bonds to fund the building or buying of a data or voice network, or any other development project, unless the exclusive use of the network, or other development project, is for governmental purpose. So, in real life, we start from the legal impoverishment of Band Governments (in Canada) and Tribal Governments (in the US) and the additional incapacity to compete in the tax exempt bond market (in the US) and issue bonds to fund development, to which we add the withdrawals from investment in the general, non-Indian rural wireline voice and data service, and an overpriced and under provisioned duopoly in the metro markets. Is there a public interest issue here? If the last "N" in ICANN stands for "Nothing", then no. If it stands for "Numbers", then yes. Is there advice to offer the ICANN Board, consistent with the purpose for there being an At Large, to which NARALO is a geographic convenience? Obviously I think so, and just as obviously, others to not. The advice might be as I wrote previously, as simple as asserting that critical infrastructure resources be allocated by a means other than "market price". Eric
Hi Eric, At bottom of the ICANN pyramid is the lowly consumer. How can this not matter? Georgia is not the only place where the supposed voice of the people (representative government :) has been taken away with legislation forbidding a municipal-run network. It's really a problem when you are not allowed to run a network and the ISPs will not put one up. I live in Vermont, with lots of rural areas without any network access, nor mobile phone access. It hampers the state in many ways. --bob On Wed, 20 Feb 2013, Eric Brunner-Williams wrote:
All,
I could attempt to reply to Joly who challenged (or "asked" if one thinks it a neutral gesture inelegantly stated) with these mortal words "And this relates to NARALO, how?" ... but that would be a re-tour through the does-or-doesn't one of the "N"s in "ICANN" have anything to do with numbers.
There is legislation pending in the state of Georgia which will make municipalities unable to construct municipally owned networks. This incapacity would apply to municipal conduit capacity, unlit municipal dark fiber in municipal conduits, lit municipal fiber in municipal conduits, and municipally operated networks operating over lit municipal fiber in municipal conduits.
In Maine, where I have a interest in a business operation which includes narrow-band and broad-band ISP, and the rest of rural Northern New England, the wireline ILEC has sold off its entire rural operation, and will be making no further investment in bandwidth improvements outside of the metro east corridor. The urban market is a duopoly and the wireless market is similarly concentrated to small oligopoly.
The over all situation is not unique to rural Maine, and former ICANN Board member Susan Crawford's recent book length work, "Captive Nation", addresses the lack of competition in the broadband access market. The situation in Canada is only marginally different, with an equivalent end affected through slightly different policy and agency means.
In short, pricing is higher than "the market" where there is broadband, and where there is broadband, the bandwidth available is an order of magnitude less than in regions where the regulatory model has not been captured by the industry the regulator(s) were created to regulate, in the public interest.
Were Verisign and NeuStar to lobby local governments in some or all of North America to pass legislation preventing municipalities, singly or in aggregate, from operating municipal namespaces, even the very, very dim might be able to apprehend that this relates to NARALO in some not terribly obscure form.
The legislative barrier to public networks is not limited to a few corrupt members of the Georgia legislature. Unlike municipalities, which may issue state and federal tax exempt bonds for any purpose of government, Indian Tribes in the United States are constrained to those purposes which are strictly governmental, through the unfortunate but intentional application of the IRS Code promoted by a single anti-gaming member of Federal Congress from Florida. This means that Tribal Governments can not, as a matter of law, in the United States, issue bonds to fund the building or buying of a data or voice network, or any other development project, unless the exclusive use of the network, or other development project, is for governmental purpose.
So, in real life, we start from the legal impoverishment of Band Governments (in Canada) and Tribal Governments (in the US) and the additional incapacity to compete in the tax exempt bond market (in the US) and issue bonds to fund development, to which we add the withdrawals from investment in the general, non-Indian rural wireline voice and data service, and an overpriced and under provisioned duopoly in the metro markets.
Is there a public interest issue here? If the last "N" in ICANN stands for "Nothing", then no. If it stands for "Numbers", then yes.
Is there advice to offer the ICANN Board, consistent with the purpose for there being an At Large, to which NARALO is a geographic convenience? Obviously I think so, and just as obviously, others to not. The advice might be as I wrote previously, as simple as asserting that critical infrastructure resources be allocated by a means other than "market price".
Eric ------ NA-Discuss mailing list NA-Discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/na-discuss
Visit the NARALO online at http://www.naralo.org ------
-- Dr. Robert Bruen Cold Rain Labs http://coldrain.net/bruen +1.802.579.6288
I live in Vermont, with lots of rural areas without any network access, nor mobile phone access. It hampers the state in many ways.
I was constrained by the way in which states (but not tribes), were incorporated into the original RAA legislation, to offer a fixed point wireless for a demonstration network in upstate Maine. My wireline business includes subscribers in NH and VT, and of course, the Verizon sale of its rural properties in Norther New England affects Vermont as well as Maine. I recommend one reflect on the nature of "the public interest", and if one can, find a distinction between promotion of the status quo, a work of many many hands and many many dollars, lobbyists and legislators, constraining public voice and data network infrastructure, and the services that "ride atop" of that infrastructure, in particular, the address and name allocations. As the Department of Commerce observed only a few years ago, the reach of "insiders" in ICANN is noteworthy, and the several private interests are not identical to the public interest, in names, in numbers, and in the regulation and finance of infrastructure over which both are globally routed. Eric
On 20 Feb 2013, at 21:02, Bob Bruen wrote:
At bottom of the ICANN pyramid is the lowly consumer. How can this not matter?
To be a consumer one must have access and be in a position to consume. I think the real bottom of the ICANN pyramid is the user who is struggling for access. Consumers are already a few levels higher in that pyramid. avri
On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 5:21 PM, Eric Brunner-Williams < ebw@abenaki.wabanaki.net> wrote:
Susan Crawford's recent book length work, "Captive Nation",
Captive Audience, I believe My video of Susan here. http://isoc-ny.org/p2/4663 -- --------------------------------------------------------------- Joly MacFie 218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast WWWhatsup NYC - http://wwwhatsup.com http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com VP (Admin) - ISOC-NY - http://isoc-ny.org -------------------------------------------------------------- -
participants (6)
-
Avri Doria -
Bob Bruen -
Eric Brunner-Williams -
Garth Bruen -
Glenn McKnight -
Joly MacFie