tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27756326632986207182024-03-05T09:41:44.544-08:00NGA UK<a href="http://www.nextgenerationaccess.com">
</a> www.nextgenerationaccess.comNGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-24815353628917359912010-07-27T15:23:00.000-07:002010-07-27T15:23:15.862-07:00SamKnows Now Knows What We Already KnewIt has been widely reported today that Ofcom have released the results of tests conducted by SamKnows into the discrepancy between the marketing led "up to" figures by which our broadband is sold and the actual throughput that is delivered.<br />
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One such article:<a href="http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=194932&site=lr_cable&f_src=lrdailynewsletter"> http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=194932&site=lr_cable&f_src=lrdailynewsletter</a><br />
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Congratulations to SamKnows for producing the empirical evidence to highlight a problem that many of us have known has existed for some time.<br />
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Now, Ofcom... you've highlighted the issue... what do you intend to do about it? Your remit as regulator of this industry is to ensure that we, the consumer, are not misled by false advertising.<br />
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Allow me to suggest that you outlaw the use of the words "up to" and force ISPs to publish details of their own line tests and contention ratios so we can make a more informed decision. While you are at it please also work with BDUK on their USO definition and make sure that both the phrases "up to" and "a line capable of" are removed from their parlance.<br />
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One final note to Virgin Media, well done! You are at least closer to your "up to" rates than those copper-based ISPs! Sadly I just don't have the choice.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-29279004901071294762010-02-19T22:53:00.000-08:002010-02-20T00:56:57.808-08:00This damn USCI attended an Intellect run meeting, on behalf of BIS, this week to discuss the 2MBit/s Universal Service Commitment or USC. At least I had thought that was what the meeting was for - actually it was a "Concept Viability Workshop" to discuss the options to deliver on the USC in certain fabricated scenarios where it was perceived by the organisers that service may not currently be available.<br /><br />The key issue we faced, however, was that the organisers of the meeting were unwilling to define the USC for us. Indeed we were openly told that the definition of the USC would not be considered. Therefore we were left to discuss how to deliver something we couldn't define which took less time than they had expected!<br /><br />We did push back quite a bit on this and I heard two statements about the USC that could combine to form a definition:<br /><br />1. It is a line that is capable of delivering up to...<br />2. It is asymmetric<br /><br />I have since received an email thanking me for my attendance and confirming that the organisers did indeed note that we need to have clarity on that definition. I have written a response to that email that I wish to share (all names removed) and get your comment on as I believe we are starting on the path to failure when we can see the path to success right next to us and this makes no sense to me at all.<br /><br />EMAIL:<br /><br />Dear xxx,<br /><br />I would like to raise one point from your email below. The consensus was that a definition of a USC is required not (necessarily) what a 2MBit/s USC is. I make the distinction because I wrote down two particular things that <span style="font-style:italic;">member of BIS</span> had to say about the definition:<br /><br />1. It is a line capable of up to...<br />2. It is asymmetric<br /><br /> Now there are a variety of other factors that could make up your definition but I believe you must first consider what the USC is trying to achieve. If all you require is to have some form of broadband service available to 100% of the country then you have your definition from the above. However, if your mandate is to consider a USC that can both deliver on today's broadband requirements and meet those of the next generations then, i.e. more aspirational, then you must reconsider the above statements.<br /><br />As we heard from our colleagues in the satellite industry at the meeting, they can deliver a service to 100% of the country that will meet the USC based on the above (loose) definition. However that is not, in my view, a broadband service that can be anything but stop gap. Indeed in my breakout session that very fact was admitted to by a member of the satellite industry: "It will do until something better comes along..."<br /><br />Technology is already very capable of delivering something better and people are already wanting to consume far more than such a connection would offer. Therefore I would urge you and your colleagues to reconsider your position on the USC and to make it far more aspirational than it appears it is going to be.<br /><br />I have two initial suggestions that would mean you could still progress with the 2MBit/s headline figure that everyone is so familiar with:<br /><br />1. It is a line that will deliver a minimum of 2MBit/s at peak hours<br />2. The 2MBit/s rate is the upstream rate (therefore if it is an asymmetric connection the downstream rate will be far in excess of this)<br /><br />In truth I and my colleagues who look to deliver true next generation broadband to Britain's communities would like to see a USC (or perhaps a USA - aspiration) of 100MBit/s symmetric but I am not going to push you on that!<br /><br />Good luck with your report.<br /><br />Best Regards,<br /><br />xxxNGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-57789479440647164982010-02-17T09:45:00.000-08:002010-02-17T09:50:09.594-08:00Collaborate & Colloquiate!Sorry, really shouldn't do that do the English language.<br /><br />Another great post on the 5tth blog <a href="http://5tth.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-have-dreamof-rural-connectivity.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+FibreToTheHomeUk-Fibrevolution+(Fibre+to+the+home+UK+-+Fibrevolution)&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher">here</a><br /><br />To paraphrase, if we collaborate we can revolutionise. That's what the <a href="http://www.webpr.co.uk/digitaldales/colloquium/index.html">Colloquium </a>is all about and that is why you should come.<br /><br />I hope to see you there.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-56131263878246020572010-02-16T13:45:00.000-08:002010-02-16T13:49:00.993-08:00Rural Broadband ColloquiumIf you have any interest in progressing the poor state of our rural broadband then you should consider attending this upcoming colloquium: <a href="http://www.webpr.co.uk/digitaldales/colloquium/">http://www.webpr.co.uk/digitaldales/colloquium/</a><br /><br />It is organised by people with a huge amount of experience in the issues associated with rural broadband and sponsored by groups who can provide great insight into how it can be delivered and what potential it can bring to your community.<br /><br />You can register to attend at the above link - it will be a highly worthwhile event which could make the biggest difference to your community in recent years.<br /><br />Please pass on the word if you know of others who may be interested.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-13594526822952582362010-01-24T02:16:00.001-08:002010-01-24T02:23:00.868-08:00BT's FTTC PlansJust an update- no more rants for today!<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago BT announced some more locations for the FTTC rollout, said to be available towards the end of 2010. They have been added to my map should you wish to see how close you may be to an exchange to be upgraded: <a href="http://www.nextgenerationaccess.com/How/BTFTTC/btfttc.html">http://www.nextgenerationaccess.com/How/BTFTTC/btfttc.html</a>.<br /><br />You may also be interested to know that BT has announced pricing for the service, to be branded Infinity (note: perhaps they should consult a dictionary before coming up with these names): <a href="http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/Showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=F9F6F1AD-C4F6-442D-BF7E-FFCC7847631C">http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/Showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=F9F6F1AD-C4F6-442D-BF7E-FFCC7847631C</a>. £20 a month for up to 40 meg? I would if I could!<br /><br />BT has even launched an Infinity website now if you want any more info: <a href="http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=28987&s_cid=con_FURL_infinity">http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=28987&s_cid=con_FURL_infinity</a>NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-70964994170592460512010-01-24T00:55:00.000-08:002010-01-24T01:29:26.640-08:00Britain's MadnessI've just been reading and commenting on this post on the Fibrevolution blog: <a href="http://spedr.com/5ube9">http://spedr.com/5ube9</a> and it has prompted me to write a little more.<br /><br />There are many challenges in trying to establish a community broadband project - not least of them convincing the community that such high speeds are something they will greatly benefit from. But let's assume I had got over that hurdle (I haven't BTW but let's assume nonetheless) what would my next steps be? Well I would need to start to consider the network topology, the services, the prices and I would need to source the funding. Simple really. Or at least it would be if everyone I had to engage with were committed to helping build a Digital Britain rather than cover their own asses and become the biggest roadblock they can be. But they are not and I have to keep asking myself why not? Are they ignorant and unwilling to learn or just arrogant and unwilling to help?<br /><br />I have tried to educate, I have tried to inform, I have tried to understand what motivates these people (no names but Councils, Government departments and large industry can generally consider yourselves covered) but to no avail. It would seem that other than a very select few of us there is little desire to bring a pervasive broadband network to the UK.<br /><br />This is Britain's Madness. There are so many benefits to the people, the communities, the businesses and the economy that not doing it is negligent.<br /><br />Right now I am at a loss. We are governed by people who have little insight into what will allow this country to take its position at the forefront of the growing digital economy and I believe this must change. I have even got to the point where I am prepared to give BT credit for expanding and accelerating its FTTC rollout and to Virin Media for upgrading its cable networks as at least this means a significant number of people across the UK will have access to a high-speed network. However there is still a very large percentage (40% or so I believe) who will remain stuck with little hope of getting any improvement.<br /><br />Which actually raises another question I am struggling with, based on my experience of dealing with my own community: of this 40% or so who will not have access to high speed broadband, how many would actually want it? I don't have the answer but suspect it is a lower number than you may think.<br /><br />The Digital Britain Report established for us that Broadband is a right (why else would you implement a 2MBit/s USO?), in which case surely high-speed broadband must be a right? I don't get less electricity than the city dwellers just because I choose to live in the country and I don't want less from my broadband. In fact I could present a convincing argument that I (and many others in rural areas) would actually do more with my broadband as I work at home and therefore use it all day long.<br /><br />I did have a point to this rant but it's got lost in there somewhere! Essentially I want us to tear down these artificial barriers that bureaucrats have errected. I want people to embrace the cause and create some genuine momentum because at the moment I feel like there are just too few of us to really make a difference.<br /><br />Please spread the word... broadband is a very important issue, perhaps not for you but then you didn't grow up with the Internet, did you? The Internet is growing in its uses and applications every day and our children will find even more innovations to deliver digitally. If we give them the tools to do it with, that is.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-52155956512716217522009-11-18T08:59:00.000-08:002009-11-18T09:21:17.433-08:00TV Spectrum to Deliver Rural Broadband?Ofcom are looking into use of so called white spaces in the TV spectrum that could be used for other purposes such as delivery of broadband into rural areas.<br /><br />For more detail on this see the Ofcom website: <a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2009/11/nr_20091117a">http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2009/11/nr_20091117a</a><br /><br />On the surface of it this is good news - this could bring fairly high bandwidth over long distances and be relatively unaffected by buildings, trees or weather. However the key comment in the Ofcom article is "this technology remains largely unproven and a significant amount of work needs to be done..." in other words, don't get your hopes up!<br /><br />The trouble is this 'new' technology will require new equipment both at the transmitter and receiver ends of the communication path. As with any new technology it will have technical challenges before it can be relied on. In addition in its early days it is likely to be expensive (volume drives down price but cannot be achieved until the technology is mature - the classic Catch 22 of tech companies!).<br /><br />Nonetheless we should welcome such innovation and hope that some UK companies can be the ones to bring this to market thereby benefiting both themselves, the rural communities and the economy at large as they will need to employ staff to manage their growth!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-72987452658062540172009-11-06T23:07:00.000-08:002009-11-06T23:16:59.265-08:00Messages for the CommunityI'm putting this out for comment. Please feel free to make any suggestions you feel worthwhile.<br /><br />I have come to understand the dilemma of trying to put in place a community project. It is easy to gain support - a small number of people will always be found to help and support the project. The critical factor is broad engagement. How do you not only inform the whole community about the project but engage them to the extent that they are willing to express a genuine level of interest. Without that broad support the project goes nowhere.<br /><br />And so I move on to the next phase of my project - community engagement. And I would like to ask for your help. Below is the messaging that we are putting together in an endeavour to broadly engage my local community for our NGA project (through a variety of means). This has been compiled from comments received from the existing supporters as well as my own thoughts and experiences and, of course, those other rural activists with whom I have the pleasure of engaging. I'd like to ask for your thoughts now, as well. Am I missing anything? Am I misrepresenting anything?<br /><br />All input will be very gratefully received!<br /><br /><br />LECB (Lane End Community Broadband) will deliver a new & improved broadband service<br /><br /> * Superior bandwidth to allow access to all Internet information & services<br /> * Next generation telephony solution<br /> * Freeview digital TV service (possible to include in the package)<br /> * Access to a wide variety of Internet-based applications (e.g. BBC iPlayer HD, SkyPlayer, XBox Live, Online Banking etc.)<br /> * Potential for a new range of public services (Telecare - healthcare via the Internet, eGovernment)<br /><br /><br />No need for a BT connection<br /><br /> * One line for Broadband, telephone & (potentially) Freeview TV<br /> * Retention of your existing phone number<br /> * Potential for future integration with your mobile phone<br /><br />A more reliable service<br /><br /> * Our network will be the latest technology, unlikely the copper plant that BT uses that is more than 100 years old<br /> * It is far less likely to go wrong<br /> * If it does, fixes will be done far more quickly as we will only serve our community<br /><br />A less costly alternative<br /><br /> * LECB aims to offer this package at around the same, or even less, than you currently pay<br /><br />A service that will be available to everyone<br /><br /> * We will offer a limited speed, entry-level service that will be available free of charge for those who cannot afford a broadband service<br /> * Digital inclusion is vital for the future of our community and our country<br /><br />Protect the Future for your Family<br /><br /> * This will be a flagship project that will be used by generations to come<br /> * It will increase the visibility of the Lane End community<br /> * Next generation broadband services can increase the value of your houseNGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-77573682312860623382009-11-06T22:42:00.000-08:002009-11-06T23:04:00.902-08:00We are on The EdgeI spent a couple of days this week at a Telco 2.0 conference in London. Excellent subject and some great presentations and interaction. The premise of the conference is essentially to look at the evolving business model of the telco and how this can take advantage of Web 2.0 like business practices.<br /><br />We heard from a vast array of 'experts'. Vodafone showed us their new 360 solution which looked great, but sadly the demo failed as there was only a GPRS connection available! We heard from Spotify, the new streaming media service. We had a panel comprising Fergal Sharkey, now CEO of UK Music with representatives from the music industry, the advertising industry and BT and Virgin - all the players in the mix, and guess what? They had consensus on issues such as varying business models to use in the delivery of such content. They also agreed that the 3 strikes rule is not going to make any difference to the illegal download of music.<br /><br />Another panel looked at SaaS, or Software as a Service. You may not have heard of this but you are probably familiar with the concept of using applications or services that are not resident on your computer but within the 'cloud'. This model is rapidly growing and new applications are available almost every day - both for the consumer and business. It is also a growing trend for people to be using these services (how many gmail users are there now?) and for businesses to put some of their mission critical functions in the hands of SaaS providers (think of the growth of salesforce.com as an example).<br /><br />Talk was made of the next wave of content: HD video, healthcare services, home networks and many others. All in all I came away with the reinforced impression that we are moving into the age of digital maturity. An age where the Internet has truly grown up, become a ubiquitous tool and a vital part of the lives of future generations.<br /><br />So yes, we are on the edge. The edge of something transformational, the edge of something truly great. Unfortunately the platform we are standing on is narrow and while we look on one side to the huge benefits such technical advances will bring to us we only have to look down to understand how close we are to falling back into the digital chasm. I cannot tell you how many people I spoke to who have a concern over the broadband infrastructure in the UK - and these are people in the communications industry! I had many conversations about just how good this would be if only we could get it. And I came away with another impression: I have been saying for some time that the economy of the UK could suffer dramatically if we do not improve our broadband position and that has been reinforced but I would like to turn it on its head and express it differently. The UK economy would have a massive boost if we truly embrace our digital future and give unlimited broadband access to all. We are a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs so let's stop stifling that creativity and put in place an infrastructure to support it.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-13636817414219983782009-10-23T11:08:00.001-07:002009-10-23T11:08:24.162-07:00Rwanda is more switched on than Britain with its plans for rural broadband - Telegraph
<div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/6413082/Rwanda-is-more-switched-on-than-Britain-with-its-plans-for-rural-broadband.html"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/nga/olmtBkwcCkEjpcqHklChhcphfFlkajvbnuwDfguDeBeJxFcruecBaJrvtzmt/media_httpitelegraphcouktelegraphmultimediaarchive01508broad1508034cjpg_qHizkwCmiHfotld.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="460" height="288"/> </a> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/6413082/Rwanda-is-more-switched-on-than-Britain-with-its-plans-for-rural-broadband.html">telegraph.co.uk</a></div> <p>Well, the comparison to Rwanda is not entirely relevant and one has to question why their President feels this is the best spend of his budget. However, here in the UK where the issues of genocide, hunger and massive poverty are not ones our government has to deal with we should be asking why there is not a more forward thinking view to delivery of ubiquitous broadband. </p><p>I, for one, would like to see some economic stimulus fund to be made available for Britain's broadband infrastructure. Some should certainly be made available to deliver rural broadband services and it should not go to any of the established telecom operators who are traditionally reticent to address the needs of all the country.</p></div> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://nga.posterous.com/rwanda-is-more-switched-on-than-britain-with">Mark's posterous</a> </p> NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-67985356003725412372009-10-23T03:03:00.000-07:002009-10-23T03:27:37.696-07:00What the Community WantsLast night we had our first community meeting for our project to deliver NGA in my community. The meeting was an eye opener to me for a number of reasons:<br /><br />1. It is very difficult to persuade people to come out of their houses at 8pm on a dark autumn night!<br />2. Broadcasting a live event is not very easy at all and fails dramatically when you cannot get a connection at the event itself.<br />3. There are community members who are willing to step up, get involved and help drive the project<br />4. What I thought would excite the people about the project didn't<br /><br />#4 was the biggest issue, of course. There was I expounding the services and applications: the entertainment services, the healthcare services, education services. I spoke of better and more reliable access, of symmetrical access, of the benefits to home-based businesses and home workers. All of which did not strike the chord I had hoped.<br /><br />The interest was there, the questions kept coming. We spoke for more than 2 hours on the subject.<br /><br />So what did the community want?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">If it is cheaper than BT, more reliable than BT, and offers us telephony services so that we can completely remove BT from the equation (to the point of removing our fixed line service all together) then we are interested.</span><br /><br />Well, reliability can be done: NGA (using fibre and wireless much as described in this related post: <a href="http://5tth.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-fiwi-matters-in-uk.html">http://5tth.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-fiwi-matters-in-uk.html</a>) is inherently more reliable than copper. Telephony can be done, and indeed greatly improved on through the use of wholesale consumer IP telephony solutions.<br /><br />So to cost... I need to work that one through. Speed is not enough of a concern to want to pay more to go faster. The expectation is a reliable, fixed and low cost solution that means they don't need to concern themselves with how fast it is going. The question is how much will people be willing to pay?NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-65896742774492393862009-10-14T03:34:00.000-07:002009-10-14T03:48:43.293-07:00Sorry Sir we only do download speeds...Warning... Rant Approaching!<br /><br />A couple of months ago I installed a Vodafone Gateway in my house. That is their femtocell product that will give a better mobile signal in a small area by using the broadband line. All was well... the signal to my phone was drastically improved and call quality was great. That is until a week ago. All of a sudden people were complaining about very poor call quality. I thought it was strange as I could hear them perfectly but they could not understand me.<br /><br />So I called Vodafone to ask about any potential issues with the gateway. They asked me to run a speed check which showed I had a reasonable download speed but a shocking upload speed (4.1M down, which is much better than usual but 210kbit/s up). They advised that you need a minimum upload speed of 300k for the gateway to function properly and that I should call my ISP.<br /><br />Great, so I get on the phone to BT. In India. We go through the usual rigmarole of have I tried this, or done that and what is my set up etc. etc. Until eventually I was told, "OK, I am going to run a test to see what the problem is." Good. After a couple of minutes waiting she came back and confirmed what I already knew but added that they felt the download speed was good (agreed) and the upload speed was in the acceptable range. Again agreed other than the fact that is has been much better therefore surely something must have happened to cause the change. This was met with the immortal quote:<br /><br />"Yes Sir, but we only help with download speeds not upload speeds."<br /><br />At that point I gave up!<br /><br />It amazes me that there can be such a lack of understanding of the importance of both directions of the communications path. In fact there should almost be more focus on upload speed and improving that as more people are uploading large files to sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Flickr.<br /><br />Rant over. Thank you for listening!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-19398941380643027542009-10-11T11:44:00.000-07:002009-10-11T11:56:48.247-07:00What Would You Use FTTH ForImagine for a moment that you have that 100MBit/s second symmetrical connection to your home...<br /><br />What are you using it for? What would you like to use it for?<br /><br />Please drop some comments to this post - I am interested to see what is driving our interest for genuinely high speed connections. Be as specific or general as you like.<br /><br />Here's my list as a starting point (in no particular order):<br /><br />1. Home working<br />2. Home entertainment (interactive TV, PPV sports events, PPV concerts, gaming etc.)<br />3. Learning (so much better to see what you want to learn about rather than have to read it!)<br />4. Communications - integration of voice, video & data with the most common tools I use today (e.g. email, Office docs, social media etc.)<br />5. Cloud-based software services (e.g. salesforce.com), now being called SaaS (Software as a Service)!<br /><br />WISH LIST<br />1. Healthcare - a service that offers me online diagnoses or brings remote care to those in far greater need than me<br />2. Genuine online entertainment services - new & old TV shows from around the world, live sports, concerts etc.<br />3. Far broader use of video for customer facing functions such as sales or customer services (e.g. Blue Peter model - here's one I made earlier, just follow my instructions)NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-23857488189573434362009-10-11T07:07:00.000-07:002009-10-11T07:19:13.345-07:00More About ADSL2+Since I posted about ADSL2+ a couple of weeks ago it came to my attention that the exchange I am connected to is due an upgrade before the end of this year. I had mixed emotions on that one: on the one hand at least BT are spending some small amount on this exchange on the other it does rather diminish the impact of selling a community broadband project to the community.<br /><br />So I looked into it a little more closely. On the surface of it ADSL2+ allows a downstream throughput of up to 24MBit/s and upstream up to 2MBit/s - or about 3 times better than ADSL, at least for the headline rates. Then I found this graph:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFxsmw117gMu00Wxxnm0VA4rc-2ms6IIXMLh9TG0ye4AttE99htXY3v97VCSvEnlrwJ3YCYXKXFz3vgfSWflPTU53S2aiVup-fasLB0RdHJjdyq_aZnaNbm7Zr04qQ4WcVi6Z6DniwmBK/s1600-h/internode-adsl2-dist07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFxsmw117gMu00Wxxnm0VA4rc-2ms6IIXMLh9TG0ye4AttE99htXY3v97VCSvEnlrwJ3YCYXKXFz3vgfSWflPTU53S2aiVup-fasLB0RdHJjdyq_aZnaNbm7Zr04qQ4WcVi6Z6DniwmBK/s400/internode-adsl2-dist07.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391344757613898162" /></a><br /><br />What stands out from this is the very steep degradation over distance and the fact that if your loop length (distance from the exchange) is more than about 3,000 feet then this 'new' technology will bring virtually no improvement to your speed. So, yes I will be connected to an exchange that will deliver 'up to' 24MBit/s and will therefore be part of the statistics that show what broad coverage we have in the UK and yet I will be no better off than the (sometimes) 2MBit/s I get today.<br /><br />In USC terms (the Universal Service Commitment of 2Mbit/s to every household in the UK) I guess my house will be ticked off the list although most days I don't even get close to 2M.<br /><br />Still, those emotions are unmixed now! My sales pitch has been given another boost!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-31957949573985533652009-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:002009-10-09T10:24:24.622-07:00Lane End Community BroadbandLECB is my project to bring high speed broadband services to Lane End - a rural community in Buckinghamshire, near High Wycombe.<br /><br />The project is in its very early stages, indeed you may remember a post I wrote a few weeks ago about community engagement. Well, we are taking the next steps...<br /><br />On October 22nd we will hold our first meeting. The intention is to hold an open discussion on high speed broadband to help educate people as to the benefits high speed broadband can bring to them, their families and the community. Of course, ultimately I am hoping to convince them that they should help support this project or even get involved with it.<br /><br />The meeting is primarily for the community, however I am also streaming it (technology and local broadband permitting) and would be delighted to see others join remotely and perhaps learn a little more about this project and may be even get some ideas about how they could do something similar in their area.<br /><br />Details of the event can be found here: <a href="http://nga-uk.com/page6/page6.html">http://nga-uk.com/page6/page6.html</a><br /><br />By all means, spread the word!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-90767051118585272272009-10-07T09:40:00.000-07:002009-10-07T09:57:40.434-07:00Will FTTH (Football to the Home) be the death of Copper?So, this weekend in the UK our broadband lives are to be enhanced with FTTH!<br /><br />No, sorry, not Fibre to the Home but Football to the Home.<br /><br />For an increasing fee (the closer we get to kick off the more the subscription will be) you will have the opportunity to watch a somewhat pixelated version of the now meaningless World Cup qualifier between England v Croatia.<br /><br />There is a lot of debate as to how our broadband infrastructure will cope with this so I thought I might take the opportunity to add to that. As far as I can tell there are three possible outcomes:<br /><br />1. Everything works just fine. People will quickly realise that paying between £5 and £12 for a low quality version of a meaningless match is ridiculous so virtually no one will watch therefore our broadband lines will cope just fine (that is for those who have a 2MB service - those who don't should probably not even try to watch!). The net result being it will be heralded as a great success by those in ignorance and we will be no closer to a broadband infrastructure for the future.<br /><br />2. Works fine on urban exchanges that offer ADSL2 or ADSL2+ but rural areas who have the paltry "up to" 8MB service have quality issues that mean watching becomes a pain rather than a pleasure. The net result being a maintenance of the status quo in which the digital divide is no closer to being bridged.<br /><br />3. Everything comes crashing down around our ears. So many people try to stream the match that exchanges cannot cope, DSLAMs burnout and the whole thing is shown to be a huge farce (our broadband rather than the England football team, for once!). People finally see that improvement must be made if we are to enjoy our expanding possible uses of the Net and demand that high speed broadband is made a reality.<br /><br />Sadly, while I'm praying for #3, #1 is the most likely so don't get your hopes up too high that changes are afoot.<br /><br />But do try to remember that Internet delivery of high profile events (Pay per View events) will become the norm. It is technically very feasible today. In fact it is technically very feasible to deliver this in high definition - other than that first mile connection. As long as we remain on copper we remain constrained and unable to improve.<br /><br />You know the answer!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-19517575982392719762009-09-23T14:06:00.000-07:002009-09-23T14:22:48.713-07:00ADSL2+ : A Better BET?So, more <span style="font-style:italic;">exciting</span> news from BT - <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/23/bt-doubles-fast-broadband-network">http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/23/bt-doubles-fast-broadband-network</a> Yes, that's right within 2 years 75% of the country will have a whopping 25Meg available to it!<br /><br />No, no... put the cork back in... it's not something to celebrate. Why? Well, take all of that vitriol you have thrown at the recent BET announcement and apply it again to this. ADSL2+ is a similar investment in that old, Victorian copper plant. It's not new, it's not exciting. It's faster, sure, but in much the same way that a Skoda is faster than a horse - you still wouldn't want anyone to see you arriving at work in either, would you?<br /><br />Let's be honest, BT cannot do the country. Ignore that 75% number: they will fail to deliver a genuine broadband service (by which I mean 100Meg symmetrical) to 99% of us. They will fail to deliver an adequate broadband service (40Meg up, 10Meg down such as their FTTC offerings) to 60% of us. If you are part of that 60% and would like to know how to get your community involved in building a true broadband future then let me know. Help is available!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-54127758750013472102009-09-23T10:29:00.000-07:002009-09-23T10:44:00.599-07:00£6 Tax To Go Ahead?<a href="http://spedr.com/2a742">http://spedr.com/2a742</a><br /><br />So, the news reaches us this morning that Mr. Timms is planning to present the £6 phone levy the the House of Commons in a finance bill following the end of Party Conference silly season. If it is ratified then we should be able to access it in 2010.<br /><br />Great! Really... great!<br /><br />Why? Well, because I want to take advantage of it. I want to apply for funding for my community broadband project and hope that I will be eligible for access to this fund (assuming BT don't get it all for the PR disaster that is BET!).<br /><br />Perhaps this is the reason so many are against the 'tax'. When we pay a tax we want to see a return from it - that's why we are generally OK with our income tax and council tax and even VAT and why there is opposition to things like the stamp duty (what is that for anyway???). There will be a great many who will pay this levy but will not see a direct return on it - for example those who live in rural areas that will not benefit from the network upgrades from BT, Virgin or others.<br /><br />So, if you are in that position should you oppose the bill? Should you lobby your MP and demand that it is not passed? Of course - if that is what you feel motivated to do but before you put furious pen to paper ask yourself one question - "Is there any way I could benefit from this tax?"<br /><br />I would argue that the answer to that question is invariably "yes" but that also demands you take action - this time with far more positive results.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-75391882009211867912009-09-16T09:13:00.000-07:002009-09-16T09:34:45.996-07:00How the Mighty Have FallenIs that the bell tolling for BT? Have we reached a point from which they can no longer recover?<br /><br />Here is some background reading for you (you may well already have come across this in the past couple of days):<br /><br />1. Ofcom deregulate's UK's retail telecom market (thereby allowing BT to provide bundled services): <a href="http://telecomengine.com/article.asp?HH_ID=AR_5653">http://telecomengine.com/article.asp?HH_ID=AR_5653</a><br /><br />2. BT Announces BET (extending the reach of DSL to about 12km): <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8256678.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8256678.stm</a><br /><br />3. Benoit Felten's (Yankee Group Analyst) Blog on the changing role of the 'telco': <a href="http://www.fiberevolution.com/2009/09/the-role-of-telcos.html">http://www.fiberevolution.com/2009/09/the-role-of-telcos.html</a><br /><br />The quote I will pick out from the first article is that "BT was judged [by Ofcom] to no longer have 'significant market power' in the majority of retail landline markets in the UK". So here we have a former monopoly who has large liabilities on its balance sheet (e.g. pension deficit) and is having to use advances on dated technology (BET) to squeeze even more cash out of its copper plant in a desperate move to win back some of the market power.<br /><br />So, what of BET? On the one hand you have to say "Oh come on! Another update to the copper plant when all we want is fibre!" but to be honest if you put yourselves in the position of those in the broadband notspots perhaps something is better than nothing and given this technology is readily deployable (following the trials) it is at least progress. Sadly I fear it will mean BT will consider that box ticked and will once again forget about the former notspots who will then be stuck with a sub-standard 1MB connection.<br /><br />But what now for BT? Well I have to say I am in total agreement with Benoit. Telcos <span style="font-weight:bold;">must</span> reinvent themselves and quickly. Both residential and business services are moving into the cloud (by which I mean they will be delivered from beyond your immediate vicinity) and the key requirement to use those services is a high speed pipe.<br /><br />BT, you still have a role to play in building Digital Britain, just not the role you play today. Move fast or move over.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-62863799638373652542009-09-10T05:50:00.001-07:002009-09-10T05:50:08.414-07:00Musicians hit out at Gov plans for file sharers #digitalbritain
<div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6828262.ece"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/nga/zErhytgeFejehBqJJDvuyAkpfswxHqyjgJcwbiozoGgIIeEqrAqCuEpczHBu/media_httpentertainmenttimesonlinecoukmultimediaarchive00611FAC611749ajpg_vmadqvHtfoqugcn.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="385" height="185"/> </a><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6828262.ece">entertainment.timesonline.co.uk</a></div> <p>One of the more significant factors driving traffic growth on the Internet today is file sharing. I've done it myself, although not to a great extent and I know of many others who also use it. That said I could not quite make up my mind about this whole file sharing debate until I read this article. Yes I thought the measures proposed were utterly draconian but I could not make up my mind whether something should be done. </p><p>You see I felt that through file sharing the musicians were losing out. I didn't care so much about the record companies but did not want those who are actually making the music to suffer as a result of our actions. Turns out I was wrong! Naturally I had never actually spoken to a musician to get their feedback so I am grateful to The Times for bridging that gap of ignorance for me! </p><p>If the artists themselves support file sharing, indeed encourage it (see the quote from Ed O'Brien) then the Government has no right to stop it.</p></div> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://nga.posterous.com/musicians-hit-out-at-gov-plans-for-file-share">Mark's posterous</a> </p> NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-87141561759221325592009-09-09T00:42:00.001-07:002009-09-09T01:38:28.744-07:00Ignore the League TablesOver the last two days I have seen a number of articles & blogs about the new league table for FTTH published by the FTTH Council Europe. The articles from the FTTH Council is here: <a href="http://www.ftthcouncil.eu/documents/press_release/PR_EU_rankings_Final.pdf">http://www.ftthcouncil.eu/documents/press_release/PR_EU_rankings_Final.pdf</a><br /><br />Here are some examples of the reactions:<br /><br /><a href="http://spedr.com/3b02g">http://spedr.com/3b02g</a><br /><a href="http://spedr.com/2chsa">http://spedr.com/2chsa</a><br /><a href="http://spedr.com/15euv">http://spedr.com/15euv</a><br /><br />Now... some perspective please folks. Firstly these rankings are presented in terms of penetration - in other words the number of houses who have FTTH as a proportion of the total households in the country. A league table on this basis is very misleading - no disrespect to Andorra or Iceland but in real terms they have connected less households than in France, just more in percentage terms.<br /><br />Next to the view that FTTH has somehow survived the economic downturn. Really? So why were so many projects put on hold in 2009? Why have none of the major European economies entered this league table? Where are the major FTTH projects - I mean the ones that will move us from <10% penetration to >25% penetration?<br /><br />For the purposes of balance let's compare the 2008 results with 2009, taken from the FTTH Council's announcement:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEvr3bh-IIOvxjENFcAyc0uCjZMwVKhf7GdM7ui9Xgc0rJEyVWuyt7_X_CQxDM-UBnPyGMMrsvaByXQBDSQhKHOai8UdEJbW9eAVwOjaVeO_YeuRuiCEf0kr0m95yyfGQ063yljivCYuE/s1600-h/FTTH+Rankings+08v09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEvr3bh-IIOvxjENFcAyc0uCjZMwVKhf7GdM7ui9Xgc0rJEyVWuyt7_X_CQxDM-UBnPyGMMrsvaByXQBDSQhKHOai8UdEJbW9eAVwOjaVeO_YeuRuiCEf0kr0m95yyfGQ063yljivCYuE/s400/FTTH+Rankings+08v09.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379384209461987058" /></a><br /><br />Really all this shows is a couple of new projects in Andorra, Lithuania and Latvia and the others connecting a few more households to their existing networks. For me it highlights the problem throughout Europe that we are just not thinking progressively enough in our efforts to deliver Next Generation Access.<br /><br />But now to my favorite post: <a href="http://spedr.com/4bnim">http://spedr.com/4bnim</a> from the Digital Britain team.<br /><br />I'm not sure what the thought process was behind this post. "Show them we still care"? "We're bad but not as bad as they all think"? "Get your excuses in early before it gets worse"? Possibly all of the above!<br /><br />I will agree on one point, however - I also dislike the 'Korea syndrome'. It is totally irrelevant to compare any European country to either South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong or Singapore. Both Japan and Korea have built FTTB networks (to the Building) as most people live in cities in high-rise tower blocks and that was the easiest way to deliver <span style="font-style:italic;">any</span> broadband service to them, regardless of speed. As a point of comparison read this annecdote from Benoit Felten (@fiberguy) on this subject: <a href="http://spedr.com/2mkg1">http://spedr.com/2mkg1</a> Their competitive landscape was built on providers trying to outdo each other on the headline speed which just resulted in a commoditisation of the network way earlier than it should have done. They are not in such a comfortable position either as they desperately try to recoup their investments.<br /><br />But, it really is time to stop the excuses and start to put the momentum behind Digital Britain. I want to read about how & where projects are starting; how the DB team is enabling them; how we can apply for grants to support our efforts. Lame excuses are a waste of time for all concerned.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-91656951821975007142009-09-08T02:45:00.000-07:002009-09-08T03:02:50.041-07:00JFDI - Engaging the CommunitySince my return from Hull I have thrown a little more time & effort into my own JFDI project here in rural Buckinghamshire. I have started to do what I had always believed would be the most tricky part of the initial work - engaging the community. You see while I say rural, I actually live in a community that represents 5 separate villages with some 3,800 residents. Now I know my neighbours well enough but I was very uncertain as to how to actually get the word out to the broad community.<br /><br />So, I started by putting together a web site - <a href="http://www.nga-uk.com">www.nga-uk.com</a> if you are interested. This site tries to 'dumb-down' the technology and increase people's awareness of the benefits leading them to register their interest.<br /><br />OK, but how to pull people in to the site? SEO will do the trick for those actually searching for a broadband solution in my area but I cannot really rely on that! So, I have put up notices in pubs (which we do seem to have more than enough of!), the post office even the local butcher asking people to visit the site. That has had some success and will, hopefully, start the word of mouth process.<br /><br />But I needed to do more than that... I need to get across my own enthusiasm (which I know you will share with me) for this and to do that I need to actually speak to people. So last night I went to the Parish Council meeting. There were only a small number of people there (perhaps 40) but in the 10 minutes I spoke there were many questions and a great deal of interest expressed. The Parish Council have also committed to get involved which should drive the news even further afield. Indeed this morning I received a call from the leader of the local business association asking me to come and speak at their next meeting.<br /><br />Next Monday I have a meeting with our County Council who have a concern that Bucks is not included in any of BT's expansion plans and I hope to be able to discuss a real alternative for them if we can get more communities engaged.<br /><br />So, why have I posted this? Because I hope it may provide some impetus if you were thinking of a similar JFDI project in your area. It is amazing the momentum that can be gained very quickly from a few simple actions and I would encourage any reader to do the same.<br /><br />If you are concerned that you just don't know enough about this area to make a difference don't let that stop you. There are many of us who can help - I met a number of people in Hull last week who would love to see these projects getting off the ground and will offer their help and support.<br /><br />Of course you could always use my other website <a href="http://www.nextgenerationaccess.com">Next Generation Access</a> if you want to learn more ;-)<br /><br />Spread the word - JFDI will really make a difference!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-32202380770707527302009-09-03T13:45:00.000-07:002009-09-03T13:52:12.039-07:00INCA & JONOn a more positive note from the afternoon meeting we did hear from Steve at CBN about the INCA project and the potential for JON (Joint Operating Network). INCA is taking more shape and could well be a good voice for the community networks into broader groups such as BSG & COTS. CBN are continuing their funding discussions for INCA and good luck to them on that front.<br /><br />JON could be very valuable to us. National hubs that will aggregate community networks, potentially offering the backhaul service to the hub and the onward connection to the Internet and other CPs or SPs. There is a lot of benefit to be found in this model and while there is the argument that there are commercial groups out there who can already do this I would counter that JON should utilise their infrastructure while operating under its own model.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-20150041791984093162009-09-03T13:28:00.000-07:002009-09-03T13:54:39.902-07:00COTS 2 - The Journey NorthAfter the pleasure of my trip to Hull today I thought it would be useful to get my thoughts down straight away.<br /><br />Firstly a thank-you to Guy Jarvis and the Fibrestream team and to Lindsey Annison for pulling the day's events together and for getting us southern softies to venture above the Watford Gap!<br /><br />The FTTH Colloquium was great - we had a huge diversity of people in the room from vendors to consumers to council members. In fact as was pointed out to me we had every single step of the fibre journey represented from the diamond saw to precision cut the roads through the physical ducts and fibre through the network equipment through the cloud-based services through the providers (both existing and new) through the backhaul to the consumer. Fantastic!<br /><br />Unfortunately in such a short space of time and with such a wide audience we could only scratch the surface of the subject at hand but I felt, and all those I spoke to shared my opinion, that it was great to be able to speak with like minded people who share our common frustrations.<br /><br />It was also suggested that I look to put together something to follow up on it in a more southerly location. I'd be more than willing to do that if there is the interest. Drop me a line and let me know. (BTW, it would not be London-based but probably Bucks or Berks somewhere and will almost certainly not happen until early 2010)<br /><br />So to COTS... and let's be honest it was a downbeat meeting with little meaningful outcome for the majority of us there. My frank assertion is that for me, in my attempts to put together a community broadband network for my area, COTS holds no relevance. For two reasons: it assumes that I will want to interface to the major providers and leverage their services and it will (at least initially) not be enforced.<br /><br />To the first point I am growing in the conviction that (for consumer services) there is no need to involve the existing communications providers (note I do not refer to them as service providers). Everything I want is online - whether it's gmail, iPlayer, iTunes, Twitter, Skype or just browsing I actually don't use my broadband line for anything else. So what I really want is a big fat pipe to the Internet. I'll pay for the content I want to the individual content providers.<br /><br />This may change in the near future as premium content is delivered (for example HD TV) and the delivery mechanism may evolve in which case COTS will once again become relevant but here and now for us small community groups desperately trying not to get digitally excluded don't worry about it... JFDI!NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775632663298620718.post-30620731475118440162009-09-02T00:45:00.000-07:002009-09-02T06:34:03.560-07:00Feasibility Studies for #digitalbritain - or just a beauty contest?<a href="http://spedr.com/2b2i">http://spedr.com/2b2i</a><br /><br />Do you have an idea for a service or application that could revolutionise Digital Britain? Do you need some seed capital to help investigate the potential for your idea? If so get your fingers poised and ready to write the application letter by Oct 1 for entry into the Digital Britain competition. The total 'prize fund' for the competition is £2M with up to £25k being awarded per project which must be no more than 75% of the project cost.<br /><br />According to the guidance the competition winners will be well placed to "seek investment to develop their ideas" and to enter in further competitions from the Technology Strategy Board.<br /><br />So, do we applaud the impetus that this may provide or decry the fact that Digital Britain has been turned into a lottery? I think both... on the one hand it is good to see that some startup money is being made available on the other perhaps it is not such a good idea to make it sound like a beauty contest. Ideas for DB should not have to compete against each other in this way but should be assessed up front on their own merits.NGA UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08034765990503699759noreply@blogger.com0