I think largely the middle mile funds are wasted. Most areas already have at least *some* fiber. The cost, and the problem, is in getting last mile done, not middle mile done. From my direct experience and observation, a lot of the middle mile projects NTIA is funding is really for redundant fiber. Where it isn't redundant it isn't really providing functionality that would help last mile access in the projects I've looked at. Worse, the middle mile projects are NOT being designed intimately with last mile providers. They are going to "key community institutions" which (1) mostly already have fiber connections and (2) really have no impact on where service is needed for last mile access.
Chuck On Mar 16, 2010, at 1:40 PM, Charles N Wyble wrote: > This is why I have said that the stimulus dollars need to go to middle > milte build outs. Wireless as a last mile medium is very well understood > and gives best bang for the buck in a lot of scenarios. > > Justin Wilson wrote: >> I think part of the issue is economies of scale. Many rural ISPs have >> T1s and T3s at best. The cost of transport and bandwidth doesn¹t allow them >> to scale as well as they could if they had fiber or some other high capacity >> transport. With providers such as Cogent well under $10 a meg in bulk you >> can afford to up the speed (providing your network can support it) if you >> have access to such things. >> >> I have seen several providers start offering better speeds once they had >> access to a bigger pipe. I know in my area a T1 is still around $450 a >> month. Get 4 bonded t1s and you are looking at $300 a meg. If you had >> access to fiber and your transport + bandwidth cost you say $75 a meg you >> could afford to up the subscriber speeds. >> >> Just my thoughts. >> >> Justin >> > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------- Chuck Bartosch Clarity Connect, Inc. 200 Pleasant Grove Road Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-8268 "When the stars threw down their spears, and water'd heaven with their tears, Did He smile, His work to see? Did He who made the Lamb make thee?" >From William Blake's Tiger!, Tiger! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
