Well, I would like to count on a Muni to supply open access dark fiber just as they build and maintain roads, sewers and water supplies.
I know I can't count on Pacbell/SBC or Comcast as neither they or any other major telecom provider is offering broadband to where I live in Saratoga, CA. What we need in the US is for municipalities to finance, build and maintain the dark fiber networks. They should not be the ones who lite and deliver services though. That can be done by an open market built on top of an open access dark fiber network. Wireless can then just be another service that is built on top of the "highways" of dark fiber by commercial or collective entities. To see an example of such a municipal dark fiber approach check out Stockholm's Stockab http://www.stokab.se/templates/Page.asp?id=2035 Stokab is owned separately and independently of the operators providing services on the telecom market. Stokab is wholly owned by the City of Stockholm. Stokab develops and operates its own fibre-optic network in the Stockholm region. Optical fibres are leased to operators and end customers. Stokab's customers obtain exclusive use of their "own fibre-optic infrastructure". Stokab's business is limited to dark fibre, i.e. fibre without active equipment. This makes it possible for Stokab's customers to assume responsibility for the electrical equipment required for the transmission of telecommunications and data traffic. The purpose of Stokab's operations is to exploit the dynamics of the telecom market in order to stimulate the establishment of new businesses in the Stockholm region and thereby create the conditions for increased employment. This also improves working conditions in schools, enhances public service, and increases access to the range of cultural possibilities. The development of the fibre-optic network will contribute to continued, positive social development in the region. An additional goal of the business is to exploit, collectively and efficiently, existing tunnels and pipes and thereby reduce excavation work on streets and land. This preserves the existing environment while minimising impediments to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The basic idea - providing a telecom infrastructure without providing telecom services - has received considerable attention and international interest and has inspired similar ventures the world over. Stokab's operations commenced in 1994. The development of the fibre-optic network started at that time in the commercial district of Stockholm to be subsequently extended to the major industrial areas in Stockholm and beyond to other municipalities. Since then, the expansion has extended to most municipal centres and other densely populated and commercial areas. Some of the islands in the Stockholm archipelago also have connection points in the network. In addition to the operators offering their services via Stokab's network, most hospitals, major medical facilities, universities, and colleges in the region are connected. On 10/26/04 10:14 PM, "John Berry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > SF isn't paying anyone to setup anything. Supervisor Amiano has pushed through > funding for a study and Mayor Newsom has backed an > idea or an ideal, depending on how you look at it. > > SF owns enough existing fiber and hilltop locations to make a big difference > if they decide to go into this. The city also derives > substantial income from Comcast (5% of cable revenue) and somewhat less from > cellular antenna rental on various city properties > that this could be a marginal play for the citizens. > > Would you want to count on Muni for your Internet connection? -- Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC. Voice: 408-882-4755 eFax: +1-408-490-2868 http://www.ibd.com _______________________________________________ BAWUG's general wireless chat mailing list [unsubscribe] http://lists.bawug.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless
