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If you don't mind the -20F cold in Winter, move to Bemidji, MN. I have family near Blackduck, MN and all the farms are wired with fiber by the telephone co-op ( http://www.paulbunyan.net/ ). They offer a 1Gb/s (up/down) tier.

I work for a small cable company, and a la carte would S U C K for small companies.
Provisioning customer based on a per-channel basis would be an absolute nightmare with any of the software we've seen.

Right now we have 2 main channel packages and a few add-on packages . The 2 main packages are basically broken into "all normal cable channels" and "all normal cable channels, plus premium movie channels". These blocks are based on contracts that we have with the networks that we pay on a per-subscriber basis. ALOT of specialized networks that we don't currently offer WILL NOT ALLOW us to put them on our "extra" channel packages such as our sports add-on package, then demand it be offered in all our standard packages. We don't end up adding them because the per-subscriber charge is relatively high($1+ each/MONTH) and we don't believe in raising rates every 6 months (done so twice in 5 years, and still a lot of complaints).

I'd imagine very many of the premium and specialized networks who live off the per subscriber charge MUST fight this tooth and nail. Not to mention all of our wonderful Java based on-screen guide software displays all available channels whether the subscriber gets them or not, so a la cart would generate a lot of 1-channel for 1-month issues because they want to watch 1 show on it once.

Pricing would be interesting as we offer triple-play services on a FTTH Network, so breaking the $85/month into the 3 services which are co-dependant due to the fairly expensive FTTH NID on each house, and and further breaking each channel down would come out to like 30 to 40 cents per channel. But some channels cost 2-3 times that much per subscriber, and ones like over-the-air broadcast ones are simply encoded and broadcasted with little or no network cost.

I work for a small cable company, and a la carte would S U C K for small companies.
Provisioning customer based on a per-channel basis would be an absolute nightmare with any of the software we've seen.

Right now we have 2 main channel packages and a few add-on packages . The 2 main packages are basically broken into "all normal cable channels" and "all normal cable channels, plus premium movie channels". These blocks are based on contracts that we have with the networks that we pay on a per-subscriber basis. ALOT of specialized networks that we don't currently offer WILL NOT ALLOW us to put them on our "extra" channel packages such as our sports add-on package, then demand it be offered in all our standard packages. We don't end up adding them because the per-subscriber charge is relatively high($1+ each/MONTH) and we don't believe in raising rates every 6 months (done so twice in 5 years, and still a lot of complaints).

I'd imagine very many of the premium and specialized networks who live off the per subscriber charge MUST fight this tooth and nail. Not to mention all of our wonderful Java based on-screen guide software displays all available channels whether the subscriber gets them or not, so a la cart would generate a lot of 1-channel for 1-month issues because they want to watch 1 show on it once.

Pricing would be interesting as we offer triple-play services on a FTTH Network, so breaking the $85/month into the 3 services which are co-dependant due to the fairly expensive FTTH NID on each house, and and further breaking each channel down would come out to like 30 to 40 cents per channel. But some channels cost 2-3 times that much per subscriber, and ones like over-the-air broadcast ones are simply encoded and broadcasted with little or no network cost.

...of bullshit.

The Reason Foundation is yet another free-market think tank that believes that eliminating government oversight in the broadband sector will result in broadband utopia.

In my neck of the woods, there is a small community called Lake George, MN. Lake George is a nice small lakeside tourist town, population ~150 and growing. It's got a few nice cafes, some tourist shops. They just got their first apartment complex, and there's a lot of tourist dollars that go there every summer. There's a lot of people that would love to live there year-round, but there's a problem. Their phone provider is CenturyTel, based out of Louisiana. CenturyTel has NO PLANS to build broadband infrastructure there in Lake George. From a business standpoint, I can understand. There's no reason to. It would cost to much to create that kind of infrastructure just so that maybe 50 households could sign up.

But everybody in the area knows about Paul Bunyan.net. They're a regional provider that delivers phone, internet, and cable all in one package for $80. Nobody can offer a better bundled package. Sure, we can sign up with Charter for cable internet and TV, and Qwest for phone access, but it's not the same price. Paul Bunyan Coop has been doing a fantastic job offering cable and broadband internet access to rural areas surrounding Bemidji, MN. (Here's a map showing their whole service area. Mind you, Laporte is a town with 150 people, and they offer service in the ENTIRE township.)

Now, why do I bring these two different companies into the picture? Because Paul Bunyan just got awarded a government contract to lay lines into Itasca State Park. Itasca State Park is located about 10 miles west of...guess where...LAKE GEORGE!!! They were laying the lines right down Main Street in the town just last week! And yet, legally, they cannot build infrastructure in Lake George. They have to run the line straight through. And why is that, when they're laying an access line right through the town? Oh, here's the kicker everybody...get this...since Lake George never was owned by Ma Bell (and many rural areas weren't...there's a specific legal name for this condition...can't remember it for the moment), since Lake George's phone lines were never built by Ma Bell, they aren't subject to deregulation laws like the larger communities are. So, CenturyTel has exclusive rights to offer telecommunications service to Lake George. And they're not selling.

Deregulation my ass. Companies will do whatever they want with whatever they have exclusive access to. Big Business isn't going to build jack squat in rural America. Three cheers for the regional Coop's that are willing to bring modern telecommunications access to the rest of the country.

...of bullshit.

The Reason Foundation is yet another free-market think tank that believes that eliminating government oversight in the broadband sector will result in broadband utopia.

In my neck of the woods, there is a small community called Lake George, MN. Lake George is a nice small lakeside tourist town, population ~150 and growing. It's got a few nice cafes, some tourist shops. They just got their first apartment complex, and there's a lot of tourist dollars that go there every summer. There's a lot of people that would love to live there year-round, but there's a problem. Their phone provider is CenturyTel, based out of Louisiana. CenturyTel has NO PLANS to build broadband infrastructure there in Lake George. From a business standpoint, I can understand. There's no reason to. It would cost to much to create that kind of infrastructure just so that maybe 50 households could sign up.

But everybody in the area knows about Paul Bunyan.net. They're a regional provider that delivers phone, internet, and cable all in one package for $80. Nobody can offer a better bundled package. Sure, we can sign up with Charter for cable internet and TV, and Qwest for phone access, but it's not the same price. Paul Bunyan Coop has been doing a fantastic job offering cable and broadband internet access to rural areas surrounding Bemidji, MN. (Here's a map showing their whole service area. Mind you, Laporte is a town with 150 people, and they offer service in the ENTIRE township.)

Now, why do I bring these two different companies into the picture? Because Paul Bunyan just got awarded a government contract to lay lines into Itasca State Park. Itasca State Park is located about 10 miles west of...guess where...LAKE GEORGE!!! They were laying the lines right down Main Street in the town just last week! And yet, legally, they cannot build infrastructure in Lake George. They have to run the line straight through. And why is that, when they're laying an access line right through the town? Oh, here's the kicker everybody...get this...since Lake George never was owned by Ma Bell (and many rural areas weren't...there's a specific legal name for this condition...can't remember it for the moment), since Lake George's phone lines were never built by Ma Bell, they aren't subject to deregulation laws like the larger communities are. So, CenturyTel has exclusive rights to offer telecommunications service to Lake George. And they're not selling.

Deregulation my ass. Companies will do whatever they want with whatever they have exclusive access to. Big Business isn't going to build jack squat in rural America. Three cheers for the regional Coop's that are willing to bring modern telecommunications access to the rest of the country.

I currently work for a rurual telephone co-op. Previously we ran an N3 Motorola network that uses fiber to each neighborhood node and copper to the home. We are able to provide 5 mbps up and downstream(VDSL) in ADDITION to a 30mpbs stream for 3 televisions. However, the limitation is that we can only push video 1 mile, and DSL 2 miles from each node. This being a VERY rural area, this leaves about 10% of our customer without TV from us.

Currently we are wiring a completely new network in a neighboring city. This is to a complete FTTH network. This network has the capacity of 1 gbps to each premise. Currently the box on the house is limited to 40mbps up/down for internet service, and the rest used for HD-Video(up to 6 streams) and of course Voice(dialtone). Due to the long range capability of the equipement, we will be able to provide 100% coverage.

We are also in the process of rewiring some of our more rural copper to full FTTH. FTTH has a distinct advantage for 'last mile' issues due to its extremley long range/bandwidth over copper.

One interesting point is that the phone part of our FTTH services is NOT VoIP! It is still considered POTS(i'm in the internet dept, so don't quite understand what makes the destinction) That way it is still under the same regulation and rules (and revenue) as our copper customers.

I'm not sure what the verison system uses, but our FTTH equipment is quite standard and interfaces with our existing network systems (IP video and internet) quite well. There is defintly no need on our customer's end for proprietary equipment(other than the ethernet card in the computer and a VideoIP box for the TV--which we provide). Also our service rates are VERY competitive compared to the other providers in the area. And, cost recovery must be alright due to the fact that all our new service areas will continue to be FTTH at the same service rates as our copper customers.

I currently work for a rurual telephone co-op. Previously we ran an N3 Motorola network that uses fiber to each neighborhood node and copper to the home. We are able to provide 5 mbps up and downstream(VDSL) in ADDITION to a 30mpbs stream for 3 televisions. However, the limitation is that we can only push video 1 mile, and DSL 2 miles from each node. This being a VERY rural area, this leaves about 10% of our customer without TV from us.

Currently we are wiring a completely new network in a neighboring city. This is to a complete FTTH network. This network has the capacity of 1 gbps to each premise. Currently the box on the house is limited to 40mbps up/down for internet service, and the rest used for HD-Video(up to 6 streams) and of course Voice(dialtone). Due to the long range capability of the equipement, we will be able to provide 100% coverage.

We are also in the process of rewiring some of our more rural copper to full FTTH. FTTH has a distinct advantage for 'last mile' issues due to its extremley long range/bandwidth over copper.

One interesting point is that the phone part of our FTTH services is NOT VoIP! It is still considered POTS(i'm in the internet dept, so don't quite understand what makes the destinction) That way it is still under the same regulation and rules (and revenue) as our copper customers.

I'm not sure what the verison system uses, but our FTTH equipment is quite standard and interfaces with our existing network systems (IP video and internet) quite well. There is defintly no need on our customer's end for proprietary equipment(other than the ethernet card in the computer and a VideoIP box for the TV--which we provide). Also our service rates are VERY competitive compared to the other providers in the area. And, cost recovery must be alright due to the fact that all our new service areas will continue to be FTTH at the same service rates as our copper customers.

Is this such big news? I live in bemidji, MN, and my local phone/cable/internet company (co-operative, if you wanna get picky) PaulBunyan already provides all that. I don't understand if this Burmingtan has more people, or something, but... it just doesn't seem like something special to me.

I've noticed with a few of our local smaller broadband companies that they will have a diagnostic bandwidth meter on their website.

The advantage to that is there is no 'internet traffic' delay to speak of because its basically a direct connection from one end of the line to the other. They've found it to be an invaluable diagnostic tool for tech support.

I'm guessing not to many larger companies are going to do this, that and "fixing" the meter to their advantage is always a possibility :)

That would be The Last Starfighter. Lots of 80's vintage Cray rendering in that flick if memory serves correctly.