Below is an excerpt from the PDF linked in the notice (pages 53-54).
This seems to be in conflict with itself, as the conclusion is that
FTTH is the way to go, yet CASF grants will find fixed-wireless as a
solution, even though they make the case here that it's flawed. The
quoted study is also very out of date (2010), as there have been many
advancements in NLOS equipment. Also, if the terrain is difficult
for wireless, it doesn't seem likely that FTTH will be a walk in the
park.
In another section of the summary, it states that there are an
additional 52k households to be served to meet the state's 98% goal.
But then, without justification (page 41), fixed-wireless is removed
from consideration, and the number of unserved households is
established at the below stated ~360k.
Thoughts?
-Kristian
*Strategy 4.c: Rely on Fixed Wireless*
Another less expensive option is greater fixed wireless
deployments. Using data from approved CASF infrastructure grant
applications, CD staff estimates it would cost $462,597,927 to
“serve” 359,880 households with fixed wireless broadband.
*Discussion*
While deploying fixed wireless solutions may meet the needs of
certain communities, a key limitation of fixed wireless
technology is that the antenna at the consumer's premises and the
provider’s ground station must have a direct line of sight. Thus,
after closer examination, areas with rugged terrain (i.e., hills
and valleys) or heavy foliage may only be partially served by
fixed wireless providers. For example, CD staff has noted
language such as the following on the website of fixed wireless
providers:
Sometimes areas within the coverage area will not be able to
receive service directly from an existing Access Point due to
obstructions, mainly hills and or trees. In these
circumstances we can always get you service, by installing
additional equipment to provide coverage.
Wireless propagation in heavily forested areas is negatively
affected by the scattering effects of randomly distributed
leaves, branches and tree trunks, which can cause attenuation,
scattering, diffractions and absorption of fixed wireless radio
signals. Fiber-to-the-premises service, on the other hand, is not
subject to terrain variability.
Vantage Point Solutions, a telecommunications engineering firm,
concludes:
There are several factors that limit a wireless network’s
broadband quality which do not impact wireline broadband
networks. Specifically, lack of spectrum limits both speed
and capacity. In addition, weather and obstacles, such as
terrain, attenuate the wireless signal thus limiting
availability and reducing reliability. Finally, the speed of
the network is a function of the number of users and the
proximity of those users to the wireless tower. These factors
keep wireless technologies from being economically scalable
to higher broadband speeds.
*Conclusion*
Fixed wireless Internet service is significantly less costly to
provision than wireline services, however it suffers from
bandwidth limitations. In order to ensure service availability to
all project area households, despite variations in obstructions
or terrain, CASF grants have required that fixed-wireless
providers guarantee availability to all households within their
project area at the same rates and charges.
On 5/17/2017 8:50 PM, Kristian Hoffmann wrote:
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: CASF Staff Draft Proposal
Date: Thu, 18 May 2017 01:02:50 +0000
From: TD_AR <[email protected]>
NOATemplate Sample
STATE OF CALIFORNIAEdmund G. Brown Jr.,/Governor///
<mime-attachment.png>
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
505 VAN NESS AVENUE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102-3298
May 17, 2017
To: Parties on the CASF Distribution (Service) List:
As part of our efforts to improve CASF program efficiency and
efficacy, Communications Division (CD) staff is holding a public
workshop on Thursday, May 25, 2017 to continue to engage
stakeholders. At this workshop, we will discuss the following three
documents available at the following link
<ftp://ftp.cpuc.ca.gov/Telco/CASF/CASF%20Workshop%20May%2025th.pdf>.
1. *_Proposed Rule/Application Changes for the CASF Program Summary_*
This is a summary of the proposed rule changes for the
Infrastructure Grant Account, Consortia Account, and Public Housing
Account.
* Infrastructure Grant Account: Remove unnecessary application
requirements to streamline the process. Some of the current
rules need updating to obtain the most efficient results. Ten
areas have been identified as needing changes to more
effectively implement the program.
* Consortia Account: Develop consortia measurement criteria
requirements. The State Controller’s performance audit
identified there was a lack of measurement criteria.^^[1]
<#_ftn1> Proposed changes include modifications to the
guidelines, timelines, requirements, and scoring criteria in
Decision 11-06-038 to establish a measurement and performance
criteria.
* Public Housing Account: Proposed changes to Decision 14-12-039
to change and clarify reporting, payment, and execution and
performance sections.
2. *_Strategies Summary_*
Using existing CASF 6/1.5 Mbps threshold and CD staff’s current
method to calculate served households, we estimate that California
is currently 359,800 households short of meeting the 98% served
status goal contained in statute. CD staff offers several general
approaches policy makers may wish to take to reach that goal.
__
3. *_Cost Estimates_*
CD staff prepared several cost estimates assuming that 359,000
households remain to reach the 98 percent statewide goal and also
calculated the cost to reach the 98 percent goal if that goal is
calculated by CASF consortia region, instead of the existing
statewide practice, at speeds of 10/1 and 6/1.
The workshop will take place on May 25 from 1pm to 5p m at the
following location:
California Public Utilities Commission
Hearing Room A
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 95102
Those wishing to listen to the staff workshop may call in using the
information list below.
·Call in number: 866-918-9521
·Participant Code: 6211814#
Your participation is greatly appreciated. CD would like to gather
input from participants in preparation for the CASF proceeding.
Sincerely,
Robert Wullenjohn
Manager, Broadband, Video and Market Branch
Communications Division, CPUC
*__*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] <#_ftnref1>CASF Second Interim Performance Audit Report (issued
March 30, 2017), available at
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/General.aspx?id=9226
_______________________________________________
California mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/california
_______________________________________________
California mailing list
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/california
