[GRLUG] NOT LINUX - broadband

[Adam Tauno Williams]

On Wed, 2009-09-02 at 15:28 -0400, Bob Kline wrote:
> The population density argument is often
> cited, but I think if there was anything to
> it most of us wouldn't have landlines, cable,
> water, sewer, electricity, etc.  Certainly one
> wouldn't include fibers to the boonies in the
> beginning, but metropolitan areas in most 
> states are surely candidates.  It's no more
> expensive to run a fiber to the home than
> a twisted pair if you do it during construction.

But that is the issue with urban developer areas - you aren't doing it
during construction.  Just the legal costs alone can be quite high as
you probably need to acquire multiple right-of-ways.  I'd suggest going
to area transit meetings as a good way to become more familiar with the
pandemonium that is right-of-ways and management.

> The average cost to run a twisted pair today
> is about $2,000.  But it's a long term investment,
> and the phone or cable companies could 
> amortise the cost over 20 years or more.  A
> fiber could be retrofitted for that much, on
> average, and less in many cases.

Sources?  It think running and splicing fiber is considerably more
expensive,  it requires more equipment and skilled personnel.  A
drooling monkey can punch down copper onto a 110 block.

> France has over 50Mbps, and it does not have
> the population density of SK or Japan.  Even
> so, one would sensibly start in Paris.

Sure, but there are many variables here - not the least of which is the
USA's utter dedication to the fantasy called "the free market" and that
there can ever be anything like "competition" between infrastructure
providers.