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University Taps Sewers for Internet Access
Stony Stevenson writes "A web connection via the toilet bowl may sound like Google's most recent April Fool, but the University of Aberdeen plans to welcome students back with a high bandwidth internet network connected via the sewers.
The university tapped H2O Networks to provide a high capacity link for the next 10 years, enabling students to access the internet from their halls of residence. H2O Networks is a deploying dark fibre in the UK's waste water network to enable connectivity to those who have limited access. The network is known as 'fibre via the sewer'."
It's dark fiber until it's lit. Putting cables into pipes has been around for 20+ years. Williams did it in natural gas pipes (and farmers sued them when they repurposed their easements illegally).
What this is, is a magnet for silly replies. Welcome to Monday morning.
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Many places already do weld the manhole covers down, to prevent theft and damage:
T PAGE/708090875&LID=002
http://www.telegram.com/article/20070809/002-FRON
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Indeed, this is nothing new. Special junction boxes for installation in a sewer manhole have been around for years.
According to this link found in the article from the grandparent's link about the freight tunnels, and to your Wikipedia link, the tunnels are actually one and the same.
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It was done about 6 years ago in several cities, including Albuquerque. It was even shown on Discovery channel or something._ 4/ai_80224599
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IGP/is_10
The world is made by those who show up for the job.
Unfortunately the Post office Railway closed in 2003. I wonder how long before it is turned into a cable duct? London already has telecommunication cables along a disused hydraulic power network.
As someone who works for a water and sewer utility, I have to say this isn't such a crazy idea. HOWEVER, they need to consider a very disgusting reality: Grease buildup. We routinely jet-rod the sewer pipes to scour out the grease buildups.
If we do not do this, we risk having a storm flow do it for us. The grease coagulates and can form a blockage in the sewer mains. I've been at a large wastewater pumping station during a storm and these grease balls trap sewage, causing sewage overflows, despite an otherwise properly running pumping station.
What does bearing does this have with a network cable through the sewers? Well, it better be VERY tough and resilient to grease buildup. The force of jet rodding the pipe could easily break the cable unless it's been designed for this sort of abuse.
Oh, and by the way, if you haven't already learned this, DO NOT POUR GREASE OR FAT DOWN THE DRAIN! The stuff I'm talking about is the irreducible, routine buildup. The less of it you send down the drain, the less likely it will be that you'll have a backup flood your basement with it.
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