Fast fibre: A community shows the way
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21442348 Fast fibre: A community shows the way COMMENTS (198) Lancashire leads way on fast fibre connection How fast is your home broadband? Seventy to 80 Mbps if you're one of the few with the very fastest fibre broadband services? Perhaps 10Mbps if you've got an average connection, maybe under 2Mbps if you live some miles from your nearest exchange. So how would you fancy a 500Mbps download scheme? That is what I've seen on Harry Ball's quite ancient computer - not in the heart of London but in a village in rural Lancashire. Arkholme is hardly a teeming metropolis but Harry is one of the first local residents to be hooked up to the B4RN community broadband network. After deciding that they were never likely to get a fast broadband connection from one of the major suppliers, a group of local people across this sparsely populated area decided that sitting around moaning about it was not an option. Instead they began a DIY effort, digging channels across the fields and laying fibre optic cables. They have exploited all sorts of local expertise - from the Lancaster University professor who is an expert in computer networks to the farmer's wife who has just retired from a career in IT support. The cooperation of local landowners has been vital - free access to fields has made it much cheaper to roll out the network. BT and other companies which have to dig up the country roads to lay fibre networks reckon it can cost as much as £10,000 to hook up one rural home - the people at B4RN reckon they can bring that down to around £1,000. And people like Harry and Susan Ball are now entering the superfast broadband era. The retired couple told me they knew little about computers and had got used to the fact that it was almost impossible on their slow connection to watch video or use Skype. Now Harry is able to watch the iPlayer streaming in HD, and Susan has become a B4RN volunteer, helping to dig trenches for the fibre. But, after raising half a million pounds from locals who bought shares on the promise of a fast connection, the project now needs to move to the next stage. In the Arkholme village hall this afternoon, B4RN is holding an open day, inviting anyone to drop in and test the broadband connection on their phones or computers. The hope is that many will sign up to the £30 per month service, but that some will also buy shares in B4RN. Another £1.5m is needed if the full 265KM network is to be rolled out. That sounds ambitious - but having spent 24 hours watching the volunteers digging trenches, blowing fibre and learning a process called fusion splicing I can see they are a very determined bunch. As Barry Forde, the networking expert who is the chief executive of B4RN explained to me, fast broadband is not a luxury now, whether in the town or the country. "Farmers are being told they have to fill in forms online," he says. "If you haven't got broadband you are severely disadvantaged." And despite the £530m government money to bring fast broadband to rural Britain, many communities face a long wait to get connected. In the meantime, others may learn the lesson from B4RN - if you want it in a hurry, just get out and start digging.
On Fri, 15 Feb 2013, Eugen Leitl wrote:
After deciding that they were never likely to get a fast broadband connection from one of the major suppliers, a group of local people across this sparsely populated area decided that sitting around moaning about it was not an option. Instead they began a DIY effort, digging channels across the fields and laying fibre optic cables.
This is quote common in Sweden as well. People living in the countryside are already used to cooperating, they do private road maintenance cooperatively (5-10 houses sharing an access road to the closest major road), so for them it's not that different to also do cables. Usually tractors or equivalent is already available, so getting someone within the community to do the work is not that hard. Here is an example (In swedish) <http://www.norrkoping.se/bo-miljo/bredband/byalag/> "For people living in the country side getting access to fiber within reasonable time there is a need for you, neighbours and friends to join into a 'economic association'. With our help you build your own area network to the closest network connection point. <http://www.norrkoping.se/bo-miljo/bredband/anslut/> Translating it into english works surprisingly well, for your convenience here goes: Byalag model-it works Step 1 Examine and register interest Investigate whether there is interest in your neighbors to join the broadband. Some may have the knowledge and contacts that may be useful. A basic principle is that more households get together and build the area network (fiber) properties to be connected. In this way it is possible to drastically bring down the total connection cost of each property. When there are at least 30 interested, feel more, in an area you should submit an expression of interest to the municipality. Are you less, you should of course make an inquiry anyway. Step 2-Establish a cooperative In order to build an area of the village community concept you must use an economic association. In many cases, there is already an economic association established that can be used, such as a village community. If a cooperative is missing, you must create one for this purpose, ie. building broadband. The compound can be dismantled after the construction is completed, if desired. The association shall have a chairman and a contact person for the project. Step 3-Feasibility Study You are doing a feasibility study to get an estimate on the cost of trenching and more. Assistance can be sought from the Leader. Step 4-agreement with the municipality Norkröpings municipality sign a contract with you. The feasibility study is approved, and a detailed planning undertaken by the municipality. With the feasibility study as a basis, you can also determine how construction costs will be distributed between the members of the village community. Before ground work starts, everything should be clear about what should be done, who is present and all land contracts and permits are in place. Step 5-Review existing agreements Inform everyone in the village community to terminate existing contracts for Internet, television and telephone in time. Step 6 Compare prices Keep in mind that it is only digging work to be purchased because the remaining materials such as fiber cable, hoses, wells, etc. are supplied by us. Our planners are happy to help in this work. Step 7 Start building Come supply all the materials needed for you. Then begin digging. Our recommendation is that you take the help of our planners even at this stage. It creates good conditions for it to go as smoothly as possible. Cost for the designer paid for by the municipality. Step 8-Inspection and connection Once the works are complete, they inspected by the municipality or other authority. Step 9 Use your new broadband Connect your home network to the fiber network and select service providers. Step 10 fee for connection The fee is according to today's current broadband tariff set by the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Norrköping. Agreements Examples of contracts and documents Rules of the Association Minutes Registration with the Building and Planning Project Documentation Agreement between the union and the respective owners Land Contract -- Mikael Abrahamsson email: swmike@swm.pp.se
participants (2)
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Eugen Leitl -
Mikael Abrahamsson