[IP] Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System

Dave,

This has been tried a number of times by a number of companies, including Silver Spring, MD - based CityNet Comm'n, which at one time had promised to install fiber throughout Albuquerque, NM and Indianapolis, IN. (Here's a 2001 article: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IGK/is_13_15/ai_76939065; City of Portland did a study in 2001 - pictures of the robots are interesting http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=52134). The company used robots to clean the sewers, line them were necessary, and install brackets into which they mounted conduit. Another company, Stream Intelligent Networks was also active with similar technology, though a quick scan reveals little activity since 2001 (see e.g., http://www.canadait.com/cfm/index.cfm?It=102&Id=1328&Se=2&Lo=2 and the URL appears to have moved on to other uses. http://www.stream.ca/). Then there's always Google's TiSP system, which surfaced on or about April 1, 2007 if memory serves correct. http://www.google.com/tisp/install.html. Nevertheless, blogsphere seems to love the idea (University of Aberdeen appears to be installing fiber in the sewers -- http://fiberopticnews.blogspot.com/2007/08/ftts-fiber-through-sewer.html). I'd be curious if anyone has actually installed such a system, at what cost, whether they are obtaining reasonable building access in commercial areas (i.e. where is the hand-off w/in a building; what access is obtained to building riser & distribution), total fiber count, how collocation / power handled, local/regional interconnection, etc.

All in all, not a bad idea, but like BPL, perhaps the interest and articles may be inversely proportional to actual traction in the market. Whether that's a technology or an economic/political question is another matter as well. So far, technology hasn't overcome the economics of last-mile overbuild, but maybe Sprint/Nextel/Clearwire WiMax will fix it. Who knows?

Regards,

Erik Cecil

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 3:17 AM, David Farber <dave@farber.net> wrote:

This was proposed for ChicagoNet while I was at the FCC. Not sure what happened to that effort. djf

________________________________________
From: Ken Deifik [kenneth.d@adelphia.net]
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 8:53 PM
To: David Farber
Subject: Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System

Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System
http://ecoworldly.com/2008/05/11/super-fast-broadband-via-the-sewer-system/
Written by Pem Charnley
Published on May 11th, 2008
Posted in Great Britain

Bournemouth, UK, is often mocked by many of the British for the average age
of its citizens. In short, a seaside resort where many go to die. Jack Dee
once quipped that the shop windows are all fitted with bi-focals to allow
passers-by to ascertain what lies within.

But the citizens, it seems, are having the last laugh as it has been
reported this week that the town is to be the first in the UK to make use
of the sewer system in a whole new way.

Rather than rely on the rather un-environmentally friendly process of
digging up swathes of countryside and road to lay cables, H2O Networks Ltd
have been called in for the gig.

As is so often the case, simple ideas seem to have manifest benefits and
using sewer systems to lay fibre optic cables is a case in point.

As already stated, there is no need to dig up roads.

Conventional cables are normally laid a mere 45 cm below ground. Utilising
the sewer systems means that the cables lie a full 10 metres below ground,
decreasing the likelihood of damage and increasing security in potentially
dangerous situations.

And of course, with no digging needed, with the sewers already in place,
getting the fibre optics laid can be achieved far more quickly.

So, as many Britons languish behind with slow internet access, Bournemouth
is casually reinventing itself as a rather fast, happening town, and in the
not-too-distant future, will enjoy internet speeds approaching 100Mbps.

The UK has 360,000 miles worth of sewers. As Elfed Thomas, CEO of H2O
Networks says:

"This is just the start of bringing next generation connectivity to the UK."

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