Interesting People mailing list archives
Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 16:27:13 -0400
Begin forwarded message:
From: Erik Cecil <erik.cecil () gmail com> Date: May 12, 2008 11:48:14 AM EDT To: David Farber <dave () farber net> Subject: Re: [IP] Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System
Dave,This has been tried a number of times by a number of companies, including Silver Spring, MD - based CityNet Comm'n, which at one time had promised to install fiber throughout Albuquerque, NM and Indianapolis, IN. (Here's a 2001 article: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IGK/is_13_15/ai_76939065 ; City of Portland did a study in 2001 - pictures of the robots are interesting http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=52134 ). The company used robots to clean the sewers, line them were necessary, and install brackets into which they mounted conduit. Another company, Stream Intelligent Networks was also active with similar technology, though a quick scan reveals little activity since 2001 (see e.g., http://www.canadait.com/cfm/index.cfm?It=102&Id=1328&Se=2&Lo=2 and the URL appears to have moved on to other uses. http://www.stream.ca/ ). Then there's always Google's TiSP system, which surfaced on or about April 1, 2007 if memory serves correct. http://www.google.com/tisp/install.html . Nevertheless, blogsphere seems to love the idea (University of Aberdeen appears to be installing fiber in the sewers -- http://fiberopticnews.blogspot.com/2007/08/ftts-fiber-through-sewer.html ). I'd be curious if anyone has actually installed such a system, at what cost, whether they are obtaining reasonable building access in commercial areas (i.e. where is the hand-off w/in a building; what access is obtained to building riser & distribution), total fiber count, how collocation / power handled, local/regional interconnection, etc.All in all, not a bad idea, but like BPL, perhaps the interest and articles may be inversely proportional to actual traction in the market. Whether that's a technology or an economic/political question is another matter as well. So far, technology hasn't overcome the economics of last-mile overbuild, but maybe Sprint/ Nextel/Clearwire WiMax will fix it. Who knows?Regards, Erik Cecil On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 3:17 AM, David Farber <dave () farber net> wrote:This was proposed for ChicagoNet while I was at the FCC. Not sure what happened to that effort. djf________________________________________ From: Ken Deifik [kenneth.d () adelphia net] Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 8:53 PM To: David Farber Subject: Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System http://ecoworldly.com/2008/05/11/super-fast-broadband-via-the-sewer-system/ Written by Pem Charnley Published on May 11th, 2008 Posted in Great BritainBournemouth, UK, is often mocked by many of the British for the average age of its citizens. In short, a seaside resort where many go to die. Jack Dee once quipped that the shop windows are all fitted with bi-focals to allowpassers-by to ascertain what lies within. But the citizens, it seems, are having the last laugh as it has beenreported this week that the town is to be the first in the UK to make useof the sewer system in a whole new way. Rather than rely on the rather un-environmentally friendly process ofdigging up swathes of countryside and road to lay cables, H2O Networks Ltdhave been called in for the gig.As is so often the case, simple ideas seem to have manifest benefits andusing sewer systems to lay fibre optic cables is a case in point. As already stated, there is no need to dig up roads.Conventional cables are normally laid a mere 45 cm below ground. Utilising the sewer systems means that the cables lie a full 10 metres below ground, decreasing the likelihood of damage and increasing security in potentiallydangerous situations.And of course, with no digging needed, with the sewers already in place,getting the fibre optics laid can be achieved far more quickly.So, as many Britons languish behind with slow internet access, Bournemouth is casually reinventing itself as a rather fast, happening town, and in the not-too-distant future, will enjoy internet speeds approaching 100Mbps.The UK has 360,000 miles worth of sewers. As Elfed Thomas, CEO of H2O Networks says:"This is just the start of bringing next generation connectivity to the UK."*** *** *** *** ********************************************************************Hear Ken Deifik's Song Collection "Music For Small Audience" at http://www.HarmonicaGuitar.com*** *** *** *** ********************************************************************------------------------------------------- Archives: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
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