[IP] Re: Broadband Plan ---

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Rahul Tongia <tongia@cmu.edu>
Date: January 10, 2009 12:58:22 PM EST
To: dave@farber.net
Cc: ip <ip@v2.listbox.com>, Larry Press <lpress@csudh.edu>
Subject: Re: [IP] Re:  Broadband Plan ---
Reply-To: tongia@cmu.edu

Dave,

(1) I wholeheartedly agree that we need way more fiber, but (2) we may  
be able to do much more with existing infrastructure as well.

I write about how/why DSL is way overpriced in urban markets re. (2)  
on the link below. Re. (1) for many parts of the US, there is a  
relatively inexpensive way to get fiber - poles.  Ariel fiber is quite  
cheap.  The poles are there. Getting your hands on it is the  
challenge.  E.g., in parts of Rural PA, there are 3 "utilities" that  
own about a third of the poles (cable, telephony, and power). They  
give each other access (sometimes regulated).  The problem is none of  
them (or the regulators) have figured out (or ?wanted to figure out)  
how to manage fiber.

The claims of "safety issues" on electric poles and space requirements  
is hokey.  There are optical fibers available that are embedded  
*within* electrical distribution cable.  A GREAT solution IMHO.

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rtongia/web2/FCC.html#FCC-Personal_Reactions

[see a few paras down re. (1) and (2)

Rahul



David Farber wrote:
> Begin forwarded message:
> From: Larry Press <lpress@csudh.edu>
> Date: January 10, 2009 10:29:13 AM EST
> To: "dave@farber.net" <dave@farber.net>
> Cc: ip <ip@v2.listbox.com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] Obama's Broadband Plan ---
> > * Placing bets on just how little change will occur, or more to the
> > point about how much of our change ends up in the pockets of AT&T and
> > Verizon… *
> The administration is seeking rapid spending as economic stimulus,  
> but we also need to look to the future.
> For example, we need to encourage fiber in the last mile.  The OECD  
> says FTTx is used in 45% of Japanese broadband connection, 39% in  
> Korea, 19% in Sweden, 18% in The Slovak Republic, and 3% in the US.
> The bad news is that we are behind some nations; the good news is  
> that the telephone and cable companies do not own fiber connecting  
> 100% of our homes and buildings ... yet.
> We will eventually have a lot of fiber installed, but who will own  
> it? Verizon?  We have seen how they use "their" copper "pipes."  Are  
> there viable alternatives?  Ownership by local governments?  Coops?   
> Home and building owners?
> Larry Press
> -------------------------------------------




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