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Domain: ftthcouncil.org
Stories and comments across the archive that link to ftthcouncil.org.
Comments · 9
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Start pushing for community Fiber in your area
As someone who has a choice of one cable provider (Brighthouse) or one telecom company (AT&T) I've been following fiber deployments fairly closely. There are a few companies deploying Google Fiber style networks in my state but they are moving slowly and not hitting my area any time soon. As such I contacted Google to ask if there was anything on the net to help interested communities build out their own networks. Within a few hours they got back to me with this: http://www.ftthcouncil.org/ While Cable and Telecom companies continually try to stamp out such efforts there are a number that have gone through. If we can get more communities on this bandwagon it would help make them harder to stop. Head to the page, share the information, and start evangelizing in your area.
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Re:A concerted effort...Check here.
I do know that one of them is Lock Haven, PA, which is only about 120 miles from my current location.
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Re:The Rural Community is scornedMany rural communities (including one near me) have solved the problem by creating their own broadband ISP, run by the government. Using Fiber-optics, they let everyone in town who can afford $15 per month get a 10Mb symmetrical data service with static IP. More info here.
I'm planning on doing this for my suburban township and giggling as Comcast craps themselves watching everyone switch to a cheaper, better service. Internet access should be like public transportation; easily available at a reasonable price for everyone.
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Re:Your brand-spankin'-new 3G phoneI really haven't had time to do a lot of research, but several communities have done this. One small town in rural PA (~5,000 people) was able to install this and provide lots of incentive for business to move in when Comcast and Verizon had written them off. Incentive in the form of 10Mb broadband with a static IP for $15/month. If a town that small can do it, I'm pretty sure my relatively affluent and densely populated suburb could afford it, and that there's demand
What I do know is that there are sewer modules that also are made to house fiber optic networks. Since the sewers need replaced, it's a perfect time to wire the township for fiber.
If you want more information, the place to go is the Fiber-to-the-Home Council. Case studies and research material galore.
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Re:Comcast's AgreementsThat's not the point. The point is that the TOS is sufficiently vague as to put someone running a small web server or remote login is jeopardy of prosecution.
Unfortunately, as I was saying yesterday, I live in a small market where Comcast is the only game in town for truly high-speed (read: > 1Mb downstream) internet access. So it's either forego high speed internet or grab my ankles.* Fortunately, my community has someone like me looking into other solutions.
* This statement has been deemed offensive and in violation of my TOS. I must now go tell my corporate masters that I was a naughty boy.
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Wake me when they offer...
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resource: Fiber to the Home CouncilU.S. Optical Fiber Communities - 2003
20 Communities Added to U.S. Optical Fiber Communities List Brings Total to 70 With Customers Served Today via Fiber to the Home. Published 3/18/03.Download File: 031803 US Opt Fiber Commun List 2003.pdf
See Fiber to the Home Council for much more information such as case studies etc.
"The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council is a non-profit organization established in 2001 to educate the public on the opportunities and benefits of FTTH solutions. FTTH Council members represent all areas of broadband industries, including telecommunications, computing, networking, system integration, engineering, and content-provider companies, as well as traditional telecommunications service providers, utilities and municipalities."
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resource: Fiber to the Home CouncilU.S. Optical Fiber Communities - 2003
20 Communities Added to U.S. Optical Fiber Communities List Brings Total to 70 With Customers Served Today via Fiber to the Home. Published 3/18/03.Download File: 031803 US Opt Fiber Commun List 2003.pdf
See Fiber to the Home Council for much more information such as case studies etc.
"The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council is a non-profit organization established in 2001 to educate the public on the opportunities and benefits of FTTH solutions. FTTH Council members represent all areas of broadband industries, including telecommunications, computing, networking, system integration, engineering, and content-provider companies, as well as traditional telecommunications service providers, utilities and municipalities."
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There are currently 78 FTTH communities in the US
This is becoming more and more frequent in new master-planned developments. The "FTTH Council" currenty lists 78 communities and municipalities that are already providing FTTH service. You can grab the list from the FTTH Council here.There are many other communities that are not on this list yet because service hasn't actually been turned on.
Having Cat5 home run from several rooms to a central panel has slowly become the standard for new homes in many areas. I began forcing this on our builders about 4 years ago. As someone else pointed out, builders are very conservative... but if you can show them that it will only take $500 more than they currently pay and that they HAVE to do it because all of the other builders are doing it, then they'll fall in line with only a little grumbling. Of course this is really only possible withing certain price ranges. Most of the homes in our developments are $250k and up.
The "Community Intranets" are also fairly common in larger communities. They range from small sites that the developer hires a high-school kid to put together, to specific sites built from "intranet packages" that are tailored for large developments. Examples of vendors include Neighborware and Resident Interactive.
~
I hate mornings.