[RTC List] Rural broadband

[JBilderback]

> 
> I could use suggestions on how to facilitate broadband build out. Please 
> reply if you have any specific suggestions on ways to build 
> infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. I am on weekly conference 
> calls with the BOWG team. I have several ideas, but want more to add to 
> the list. This will result in a report submitted to the CBTF.
> 
>  

101netlink (I have no connection with them) seems willing and able 
to move further north into Humboldt. I think the north end of 
their service is now at Mt. Pierce near Rio Dell. So I guess the 
question is how to make it worth their while? Community groups 
buying bulk access? Low/no interest loans to put infrastructure in 
place? Contract(s) to serve a given area? or ??

The biggest problem with their (and any 802.11 wireless) service 
is that any user needs to be line of sight from one of their nodes 
(or they might possibly "hitch hike" with another user that can 
see a node). The many trees, hills, etc that we live with will 
make this impossible (or at least challenging) for a very large 
percentage of potential users. Nevertheless, I'm guessing there 
are enough possible customers to make this worthwhile for them 
once it gets beyond the "chicken or the egg" condition ... ie they 
can't expand north without customers and there can be no customers 
until they expand north.

When I asked a couple of months ago, their rates were about $50 
per month for 3+Mbps service and 1G per month of data. I jumps to 
$80 if you go over the 1G then up to 11G. Comparable to satellite 
and not unreasonable but more than I'd care to pay since I can go 
for fairly long periods during a month where I don't have time to 
use the internet. They mentioned some sort of "casual user" rate 
would be available (no specs) once a group of serious/ business 
users was established to make the node worthwhile.

Have you spoken with them about this sort of thing? If, for 
example, the Orick project were awarded to them with a guaranteed 
minimum number of users for a year or whatever, would they be 
willing to tackle the project and provide links that far north?

I don't know that any of this rambling is useful ... but I'm happy 
to see that some progress is being made to provide broadband to 
areas beyond DSL and cable. Anything you can do to help further 
this process is much appreciated.

- Jim Bilderback