Monthly Archives: November 2008

Get your own FTTH

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I’m in the car on my way to Chicago for Thanksgiving. The perfect time to catch up some reading! (I’m not driving. I’m a passenger in the family convoy – forced to listen to Billy Squire on the radio now that we’re beyond the reach of public radio.)

So I’m reading the new report from the New America Foundation, Homes with Tails What if you could own your own Internet connection?. In it Derek Slater (from Google) and Tim Wu (from Columbia Law School) flesh the concept of having residents own the fiber to their homes.

The idea is that homeowners would own the fiber from the curb to street to their house, probably in a condominium-model. So the homeowner would own the piece from their house to the curb then the neighborhood would cooperatively own the fibers to a place where they connect up to provides who might rent services – or to the Point of Presence. (Or a homeowner could possibly go solo by owning the fiber to all the PoP.) The reasoning being that plenty of folks would pay the big bucks to get fiber now.

If you’re reading a blog about broadband, chances are you know someone who would be interested in buying fiber to their house. I know a few, heck I might be one. The report didn’t necessarily give a cost – but it seemed as if $3000-4000 was a ballpark figure. If you live in a sprawling suburban or rural area it might be more, if you live in an apartment it would be less.

The most local advantage of buying the fiber to your house is that you get fiber sooner. The community-wide advantage is that early adopters help pave (or lay fiber for) the next wave of users. The advantage for providers (commercial and municipal/gov) is that the early adopters help speed ROI.

One disadvantage of this plan is that clearly it won’t work well in neighborhoods or towns where few people are interested in spending that kind of money. I’m a proponent of universal service – but I feel as if anything we can do to move forward with fiber will help innovators come up with the fiber killer app. Once that happens I think we will be much closer to creating universal demand. Until we have universal demand I think universal service/supply is an uphill battle.

Another disadvantage or challenge they have found in Ottawa where they have been inviting folks to buy fiber was that providers weren’t as interested in participating as they would have liked. Again I think once the market starts to build, that will change.

So while I think that customer-owned fiber isn’t the only way to go it may be a good way to breathe some life into the industry. And in fairness the report seems to say the same. It was an interesting read.

Iowa Telecom to buy Sherburne Tele

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Iowa Telecommunications Services Inc. is going to buy Big Lake-based Sherburne Tele Systems. Sherburne provides triple play services (video, voice, data to Becker, Big Lake and Zimmerman as Connection Etc and phone and broadband in Cambridge, Elk River, Mora, North Branch and Princeton as Northstar Access. They also own 33 percent of SHAL Networks, which owns and leases a 2,500-mile fiber-optic network throughout Minnesota. (Learn more)

Iowa Telecom purchased Bishop Telecom (out of Annandale) in February.

St Louis Park WiFi Fails

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Last week I was saying that what we need to hear about is some case studies of unsuccessful FTTH projects. Well, today I read about the failures in the St Louis Park WiFi project. The last I heard it wasn’t going well – and it seems that the situation hasn’t changed. It sounds as if the network isn’t working, the publically placed equipment is still ugly as sin, and the project has been expensive.

Well I was reminded of the project in a post from someone called Freedom Dogs. His decsripiton of the WiFi equipment on the street was great when he said it “looked like an 8th grade science project.” I’m going to go out on a limb and admit that I’m probably more liberal than Freedom Dog. His last line quotes another resource and sums up the tenor of his article:

FFM has a summary graph that I could not put better myself: The simple lesson: All taxpayers are put at extraordinary risk when local government gets involved in these risky projects.

My focus might not be so much on government getting involved in risky projects. Just yesterday I talked about how Kentucky risked getting involved in broadband and won. I would focus on the need to mitigate risk.

It seems as if the big hiccup with St Louis Park was that they selected a vendor they didn’t like – or ended up not liking. Also, they were going to be the first to go green and get broadband in one fell swoop. It seems to me that maybe they needed to do more research at the front end to perhaps choose a different contractor for the work or to re-think the go green aspect.

Talking to Connected Nation

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Brent Legg and Laura Taylor from Connected Nation were kind enough to talk to me yesterday about Connected Nation and their work in Minnesota. Connected Nation has been hired by the Minnesota Legislature to map broadband in the State. The results should play an important art ion the recommendations made by Minnesota Broadband Task Force.

Here are the notes from the conversation. The notes are long. It was a good conversation, I feel as if I learned something. Mostly we talked about the mapping, working with providers, demand stimulation and why are they do darned successful.

Connected Nation (CN) often comes in two pieces. First is mapping supply of broadband. Second is measuring and stimulating demand. At this point they will only be doing mapping for Minnesota, although I think they’d like to help with demand stimulation as well. Continue reading →

Pawlenty pushes online classes

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I heard this news on the radio and have seen it in several news sources, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system will work toward a Pawlenty’s goal of having 25 percent of all credits earned at MnSCU campuses come from online courses by 2015.

I have pretty mixed views on this. I like the idea of having online classes. I drove to and from Chicago 2 times a week for a semester to finish one of my degrees. I left about 3am, attended 2 classes and drove home – twice a week. Don’t ask me what classes, I don’t remember. I was asleep! I begged the school to look into distance learning – but it was 1995.

So I definitely see a place for online learning.

But mandating that a certain number of credits, hmm. Do the students have broadband to access the classes? Do they have decent computers? Is there student demand for that much online leaning? Are all students well served by online classes? Have the teachers had training to provide online classes? (My husband teaches an online class – he had one day of training. That’s not enough! It’s enough to learn how to use the tool but I don’t think it’s enough to learn how to teach effectively online.)

I guess I like the goal if it asked the schools to be prepared for 25 percent online classes. Also I want to know what’s going into it.

Maybe the plan should be to create programs in the universities that are so good that people outside of the state are demanding that the courses online and maybe we could expand the credits by 25 percent by offering programs that are so amazing that people will take them online.

Learn more from the Bemdji Pioneer or the Grand Forks Herald.

Blandin Broadband Conference Around the Corner

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bb_bf_conf_08_logoThe Blandin Broadband Conference is just two weeks away. We wanted to send you a final reminder about the events and share one new addition. For general information on the conference being held Dec 3-4 in Eden Prairie, please visit the Blandin Foundation web site: http://www.blandinfoundation.org/BBConf08

Raise Your Voice
We are looking for folks who want to share their two cents on broadband with representatives from the Minnesota Broadband Task Force at the conference. If you are interested, please let us know by completing our online form: http://www.blandinfoundation.org/BBConf08/comments.html  

Group Discount
We have a community group discount. For every two paid attendees in you group you will get one free. Simply sign up as a Community Group: http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=637737. We do this to help you build a community coalition interested in broadband for your community.

Webinars
Unfortunately our free webinars are now over – but for those who weren’t able to make the live event, we have posted the archives on our blog:
• Broadband Policy (Nov 19): http://tinyurl.com/6cjqdv
• Wireless Technology (Nov 5): http://tinyurl.com/5sdleq
• Fiber to the Home Networks (Oct 21): http://tinyurl.com/57bkvp

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Turkey Dinner on Craigslist

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OK I couldn’t pass up this story a week away from Thanksgiving…

According to Fox News someone gave away a Thanksgiving dinner to a deserving family in Clear Lake via Craigslist.

Tanya Fehr posted an ad offering to buy a traditional thanksgiving dinner for a family who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford one. Melissa Cobb, mother of six children, all under the age nine years old, saw the ad and responded.

Apparently, many other good-hearted copycats are following suit by posting their own ads to make sure families who are less fortunate have a happy thanksgiving.

So sometimes the Internet acts in mysterious ways.

Broadband Policy: Blandin Webinar

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We had a great virtual audience for the webinar today. I thought it was a great session and took notes as best I could – but there was a ton of content. We also recorded the call – and your welcome to download the audio file. And check out the PowerPoint below:

Here’s the official description:

Broadband Policy – As a warm-up to our December conference, learn about the critical issues that the MN Broadband Task Force will be considering, including the role of the public sector in broadband network deployment and alternative network management practices (network neutrality, pricing, bandwidth and download caps). A panel of experts will provide perspective on each issues.

Here are the speakers:

Bil MacLeslie from ipHouse
Steve Downer from MN Municipal Utilities Association
Randy Young from MN Telecommunications Association 

Here are the notes Continue reading →

U.S. National Broadband Coalition

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I don’t know a ton more about this so I’m going to post the statement pretty much asis (or as-was) in the Baller Herbst list last Friday.

On December 2, 2008, a large and diverse array of stakeholders in America’s broadband future will announce the formation of the U.S. National Broadband Coalition and release a Call to Action that provides President-elect Obama and the incoming Congress a framework for a comprehensive national broadband strategy.

The Coalition includes prominent communications providers, high technology companies, manufacturers, consumers, labor unions, public interest groups, educators, state and local governments, utilities, content creators, foundations, and other stakeholders in America’s broadband future. These organizations believe that such a strategy is critical to America’s economic vitality, educational opportunity, public safety, energy efficiency, environmental stability, global competitiveness, and a continuing high quality of life.

At the event, representatives of these organizations groups will voice support for the Call to Action, discuss their shared goals, and announce their intent continue to work together to address key issues and policy priorities.

Start: 12/02/2008 – 10:00am
End: 12/02/2008 – 11:30am

Senate Commerce Committee Hearing Room, 253 Russell Senate Office Bldg.

To sign up for the event, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/58lxhw

If you want to join the group or want more info, you should contact Jim Baller or Casey Lide at Baller Herbst.

Alltel Hiring 130 in Mankato

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Well Mankato got some good news today. Alltell Wireless is hiring 130 more people to staff its tech-support center in Mankato. (Alltell bought Midwest Wireless two years ago and the call canter was part of the purchase.)

Alltel said that strong sales and the quality of Minnesota’s workforce spurred it to expand the call center. That’s nice – but I bet broadband didn’t hurt – although with Alltell I suppose either it’s an assumption.

Now we just have to get the word out to more businesses about our pockets of broadband and high quality staff.

Jack Geller looks at Broadband

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Last week Jack Geller gave a presentation the Broadband Task Force. The week before he wrote an article in the Prairie Business Magazine promoting the work of the Task Force and inviting folks to offer feedback through the Task Force site.

I think he has done a great job outlining briefly the history of local ISPs and explaining their dilemma. Yes, the US is falling behind other countries in broadband availability. But we’re also falling behind in penetration rates. So, it’s hard for the current providers to invest in ultra high speed broadband when few people are demanding it and even fewer are paying for it.

One solution is to look at broadband as a public utility, which might merit public investment. That is an options that has worked for some communities and a couple providers (when they have partnered with public entities) but in many ways that options has not been attractive to current providers.

Broadband Task Force Meeting Notes – November 14, 2008

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Here are my notes for the Minnesota Broadband Task Force meeting from November 14, 2008. I walked in about 5 minutes into it. Any corrections are welcome. I try not to attribute comments to anyone specific – partially because I know I couldn’t keep on it but also because that’s something I don’t want to get wrong.

Discussion on what to talk about with constituents.

At this point constituents are concerned about state of broadband especially in rural areas but the task force is just not that far along to make a lot of statements.

Does the group want to take public comments?

Representative Sheldon Johnson (67B) is here – he was one of the folks who got the Task Force going. (He’s on the telecom committee.) The committee has been talking about
1. outstate meetings to get input from rural areas.
2. Ubiquity of access is as important as speed.

Here are possible topics for this year or the short term future: Portability and access to broadband (video, wireless) will be big in a general sense. Statewide franchising is another big issue. Telecommuting is another hot topic.

Research staff has been looking at what’s going on in other states – such as pilots at the state level.
Presentations:

Broadband Enters the Mainstream by Jack Geller

There weren’t many broadband options before 2000. Jack started asking folks about their Internet connection in 2001 based on questions that the regular consumer could answer. (So ask about the provider, not the speed.)

Rural areas have a greater percentage of people over 65. Some of the issues in rural areas are age-related; some issues do relate to actual access. (Older folks aren’t online as much.) The more money you have; the better the odds you’re online. Rural areas have a greater percentage of low income people. (72 percent of household in rural are have no kids ages 6-18.)

Why don’t people get online?

1. Cost. (Slightly more people in urban area think it’s too expensive.)
2. Don’t use it enough to get at home.
3. It’s not available.

Broadband Conclusions

• Broadband is no longer innovative
• Growth of computer in homes will hit a ceiling
• The digital divide is a function of demographics more than geography
• Price is still an issue (in urban and rural areas)
• People are doing different things online now that they have broadband.
• Policy makers may need to reconsider public services that are provided online or they’re going to have to look at telecommunications policy differently.

Questions

Residents who have no phone service, why?
There are very few places without access now – like federal forests.

Senior curve – how far do they live from a library or public place?
We don’t know – but age and income are biggest reason for non-use. Age will become less of an issue; which leaves income. Dealing with that issue is more difficult.

Spike in use in rural areas is getting addressed without policy intervention – what’s boosting it?
It’s a little bit of everything. Phone, cable, and wireless providers have spread out. Investment has helped. A lot of investment has been made – often by small family-owned telephone companies. They have more focused area for investment. The telecom bust of 2001 helped. (Lots of good equipment went on sale.) Also providers started bundling services.

Can we get metro stats broken down?
Yes, but the margins of error increase.

Historical Perspective – from Business Perspective by Bruce Brorson

Continue reading →

Two local innovative web sites

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I’m in the car on the way to Grand Rapids (not driving) and I ran into two fun, local web sites that I think demonstrate innovative uses of the Internet – and probably broadband if the sites are as interactive as they sound.

First is the story of the new online car dealership in Granite Falls. The last car dealer in Granite Falls closed in June. But two former car dealership owners have come up with a new plan to sell cars via the Internet. Dick Kollen and Dan Picht didn’t want to leave their city without a dealership. They realized they had 70 years of experience between them. They realized that through the Internet they could order any make or model of car for customers.

They needed an office to meet state regulations, so they do sell some autos on-site but primarily they buy their cars online for clients. It’s a great example of mall town innovation brought about to create a e-business.

Second is a nice educational (lifelong learning) site that celebrates the Minnesota River. Scott Kudelka, Kim Musser and Rick Moore are creating an interactive web site that details the history of people on the River. They plan to include videos with people talking about the history, an interactive impaired-waters map of the Minnesota River Basin, images that will show the history of the last century, and a project that will show how a Mapleton Township farm has changed from the late 1800s to now.

Broadband Over Power Lines for Rural Areas

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The first time I remember hearing about broadband over power lines was more than 10 years ago. The last time I heard about it was nearly 10 years ago. Well, not really but I hadn’t read much about it for a while until last week.

Here’s the new from the IBEC news release:

IBM (NYSE: IBM) and International Broadband Electric Communications, Inc. (IBEC) today announced the signing of a $9.6 million Agreement to have IBM install Broadband over Power Line (BPL) networks at electric cooperatives throughout the eastern US. IBEC will focus on providing broadband services to underserved residents in rural America.

So that would be cool. I got a little more info from Ars Technica – they had current pricing from IBEC: from $29.95 per month for symmetric 256Kbps up to $89.95 per month for 3Mbps for residential service, and $69.95 to $229.95 per month for the same range for businesses. In early co-op tests, a $99 setup fee includes a BPL modem.

I hope it works out – rural areas could definitely use another player in the field.

FCC Transition Team

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On Friday Obama’s team announced their transtion leads for the FCC. It includes Susan Crawford and Ken Werbach.

Susan Crawford is a communications law and Internet law professor at the University of Michigan. She was on the ICANN board. She’s a champion of network neutrality. She maintains a blog where she’s pretty good about giving her opinions to what’s going on with the FCC, or ICANN, or the Election.

Ken Werbach is an assistant professor of legal studies and business ethics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He runs the Supernova conference. Werbach is also a net neutrality proponent and maintains a blog where he too is very forthcoming with his opinions.

I tried to look around to see what the word on the street was regarding the announcement – but there’s not much out there yet. The Obama supporters are happy; others are maybe not so happy. Wired did have a fun post of the topic, where they point out that,

“The choice of the duo strongly signals an entirely different approach to the incumbent-friendly telecom policymaking that’s characterized most of the past eight-years at the FCC.”