Community Rural Broadband Schemes - Lets start a campaign

Big Lar

Following up on this thread here Wireless Community Broadband – A how to – The Ultimate Guide I gave gotten a lot of PM’s from others looking to do the same, the biggest stumbling block that I see with people is getting the back haul, I consider ourselves very lucky that we were able to land bandwidth ourselves. In setting up our scheme we contacted all the major DSL providers and although some of them will sell business broadband for around €80.00 per month @ 4:1 contention for 24 down & 1 up with a couple of static IP’s included, however none of them will allow their bandwidth to be resold, I believe that DSL providers could be major players in providing backhaul for community groups and am wondering if it would be possible for them to setup a similar package that can be resold.

Let them charge €20.00 - €30.00 per Mb and have packages starting from 5Mb to 24Mb, It would be easy to get a connection to a house or building close to an exchange and then for the community group to manage and distribute it wirelessly from there.

I'm sure it would be viable for them any ideas of how we could get the major players involved ?

Would a petition work I wonder ?

V45custom

I commend you on what you are trying to do, but why should we, the public, try to get broadband installed through community schemes? Why should we pay 4 times or more, than prices in the UK for what is a worldwide service? We have members of the govt. talking all the time about "broadband will be nationwide by xxx", and the leaders themselves spouting their lies. What we should be doing is getting together to take these so-called companies to court for failing to keep to the contract that they themselves have written........speeds of bla, bla, bla...what a bag of downright lies! We're paying for a service that is sub-standard, and you're talking about us the people forking out even more money so that we can just get the internet, 'cos the providers in place cannot do it.

I dont know if anyone out there realises, but half the country is not working, businesses are having trouble paying rates because local councils need the money for their overseas trips, under the premise of "getting jobs", and expecting those that are without any chance of earning a few bob to dig even deeper into pockets that are already empty, to get a service that should be in place already, is proposterous.

Maybe if more were to complain about the crass way in which this country operates, then maybe more would be done. Instead, we huddle together like a flock of sheep, down a few pints, and say, "sure, It'll get better".......well it wont! I'm frankly sick of the attitude towards the people of Ireland by the govt and the red-tape merchants. Go on every forum available out there and write about the "way below average" services, (or non-existence), that we are compelled to suffer. Show the govt up, that is the way to get something done. They watch every word that is written, and if enough decide to get involved, then we may just see some action.

Or is it that only the "lower classes" moan about services? as it was only the "lower classes" that voted no in the last referendum.......according to the Irish news. I bet the govt buildings have decent internet access, but then they would, wouldn't they? it's us mugs that are paying for it! Ask Enda Kenny to dig into his pocket to help out with our dilemma...ha,ha....and then listen to him wiggle his way out of it with more lies and spin.

Why dont we get all householders and businesses to cough up for the roads outside their properties while we're at it, save the govt a few more bob....they do it in Spain.

Big Lar

V45custom wrote: »

I commend you on what you are trying to do, but why should we, the public, try to get broadband installed through community schemes?

Because if we don't then no one else will

Sponge Bob

The DSL providers, especially eircom, will not countenance cheap DSL backhaul as they will inevitably lose line rental incomes once Wireless and VoIP kicks in.

eircom do have a wholesale ethernet product so you can get 200mbits to Dublin for around €100 per Mbit per annum ( uncontended or partially contended with c. 100-150 of it uncontended. In general you will get the full 200 mbits.

Drop the other end of the Layer 2 ethernet into a data centre in Dublin and pick up layer 3 IP Transit for another €25-30 a year from there.

In another few years it will be possible to pick up IP transit in the regions and reduce the cost of the ethernet national transit but that is how to do it for now.

eircom offers national ethernet products in fully half their exchanges...even Ardmore Co., Waterford qualifies as do many small rural exchanges ( albeit only really those with fibre) .

Pat Rabbitte will inevitably hide behind the hideous Rural Broadband scheme his minions designed, get your local Labour TD to arrange a meet and go hassle Pat in Dublin by all means but just wait till you see the specimens that make 'policy' in that place.

Community BB should perhaps purchase Transit en bloc in Dublin or pool the purchasing of same and the management of the infrastructure (Router with AS number etc) . Collectively you could be analagous to a decent sized regional WISP.

Oracle

I don't know a lot about this but could you not connect into the MANs via E-Net and avoid Eircom althogther?

Sponge Bob

Most Rural MANs are not connected to anything. They are little puddles of dark fibre disconnected from the world, they do have co lo and a mast.

The Urban MANs are connected but they do not have co los as the early MANs were built without a co lo. Many potential backhaul providers connected to a MAN will sell managed services rather than Layer 2 ....if they are lit.

Big Lar

Sponge Bob wrote: »

eircom do have a wholesale ethernet product so you can get 200mbits to Dublin for around €100 per Mbit per annum ( uncontended or partially contended with c. 100-150 of it uncontended. In general you will get the full 200 mbits.

+ the couple of K install within 500m from the exchange which does kinda soak up cash flow big time, its all well and good to do that if you have a few bucks behind you but when your starting with a small group and only a handful of committed members......... and then there is the registration with RIPE to get an AS number another €2k per year ,

If other DSL providers could install a package at private industrial buildings within a 1 or 2km of the exchange then the groups could manage it from there, Like I said already they sell business broadband for around €80.00 and supply up to 4 IP addresses, so they have the means to supply groups its only the will or the realization that there is a up and coming market out there that they need.

Hence the post, lets see if there is a need or a desire for this kind of service out there ?

Oracle

What I thought you could do was, build a local wireless MESH network, then use a link to connect to the nearest city MAN.

E-Net are supposed to be open to that:
http://enet.ie/co-location.html
http://enet.ie/antenna-space.html

Big Lar

All them things are well and good if you can generate the installation fee the the monthly fee for the mast space and finally the bandwidth fee, E-Net are probably the business if you are a medium to large scale WISP but for the small operator with less than 50 users I seriously doubt that they could afford it.

A scheme like ours was setup as WISP's were unable to make it profitable so they were unable to serve the area but then for a small scheme like ours to start up and get in with Eircom or Enet they have to generate a lot of income which is a bit of a rat race, there is no package out there for the small group to setup.

Sponge Bob

DSL Upload speeds are crap. You need a symmetric product ideally.

Oracle

Sponge Bob wrote: »

DSL Upload speeds are crap. You need a symmetric product ideally.

Thats the other reason I was thinking a direct connection to a MAN makes sense. Surely DSL is just going to slow the whole network and become a bottleneck?

I also think the DSL operators are going to see any group that sells broadband to the public as competition. Whereas E-Net are a state agency with a remit to provide open access to the MANs.

Sponge Bob

e-Net are a private company with a management contract to manage the MANs .

nigelhanlon

The problem is indeed the backhaul. Makes me wonder if there is any way we could pool resources if there were a number of interested community groups. Obviously small groups of 50 or less cannot justify their own nodes but collectively there would be a case for it.


It is clear that we will not get much help from the government. It doesn't matter if this is due to their lack of understanding, lack of commitment or just simply not caring. Nowadays if we the people want something, we have to do it ourselves.

As a mad idea, would a new community focused ISP be possible?

Sponge Bob

nigelhanlon wrote: »

small groups of 50 or less cannot justify their own nodes but collectively there would be a case for it.

This is the problem. 50 or less.

Not worth truckrolling a complete network build out to a dispersed group like that ( probably more like 20 or less in the main).

Furthermore:

1. Not worth acquiring high site on commercial terms where a community group may acquire them a lot cheaper...cowsheds are great as Big Lar pointed out. But not worth €5k a year.

2. The isolates of 20-50 are just that, isolates. From the point of a commercial WISP they would often drop in bandwidth to the roof of the main cowshed but it is not worth the hassle of a complete buildout.

3. Using commodity gear known to Commercial WISPs in your area, eg Ubuiquito or Microtik, increases the chances of them taking over the network in future ( entirely by agreement) once it is built and operational. Exotic gear makes it harder.

4. Furthermore these isolates can be anywhere in Ireland and there are only 2 things you can really do together. Centralised purchasing of gear to get gear prices down and centralised purchasing of bandwidth , everything else is your problem.

BUT the good news is that all of this is quite feasible and unlike the situation in 2008 / 2009 when eircom were actually rolling out ADSL in rural areas nationwide and undermining many marginal business models in rural areas at the same time....you now know that eircom has completely abandoned its rural broadband rollout and will therefore not mess you up during the essential 1-2 year payback period.


Finally....if you take the exchanges that are not enabled you will see the exchange area is often very large .

DSL can realistically serve an area of around 30km 2 centred on an
exchange but many of the non enabled exchange areas are massive.
(0km means eircom won't say how big)


Name Code STD Area in KM2 County
ADAMSTOWN ADT 053 62.7 Wexford
AGHANCON AHC 057 118.8 Tipperary
AHERLOW AHO 062 34.3 Tipperary
ALLENWOOD ALW 045 0.0 Kildare
ANNASCAUL ACL 066 93.2 Kerry
ANNYALLA AYL 042 47.5 Monaghan
ARDAGH ADH 043 58.9 Longford
ARDCLOUGH ARC 01 0.0 Kildare
ARDFIELD ALD 023 31.9 Cork
ARDGROOM ADM 027 0.0 Cork
ARLES ARL 059 0.0 Laois
ARRANMORE ARN 074 17.6 Donegal
ASDEE ASD 068 39.5 Kerry
ASHMOUNT ASM 021 0.0 Cork
ATTYMASS ATS 096 0.0 Mayo
AUGHACASHEL AUG 071 0.0 Leitrim
BALDOYLE BDL 01 0.0 Dublin
BALGADDY BGD 01 0.0 Dublin
BALLAGH BAH 069 36.3 Limerick
BALLINAKILL BAK 057 28.8 Laois
BALLINAMULT BAM 058 143.0 Waterford
BALLINGARRY BRY 067 51.2 Tipperary
BALLINSKELLIGS BKS 066 59.6 Kerry
BALLINTUBBERT BBT 059 24.4 Laois
BALLYAGRAN BGN 063 42.0 Limerick
BALLYCASTLE BCE 096 211.3 Mayo
BALLYCROY BYR 098 224.1 Mayo
BALLYDALY BDA 057 0.0 Offaly
BALLYDAVID BYD 066 49.2 Kerry
BALLYDESMOND BMD 064 111.4 Cork
BALLYFIN BIN 057 79.0 Laois
BALLYFORAN BFN 090 78.2 Roscommon
BALLYMACARBRY BMY 052 0.0 Waterford
BALLYMACKEY BCK 067 32.4 Tipperary
BALLYMACODA BMA 024 36.3 Cork
BALLYMORE BYW 044 86.3 Westmeath
BALLYNACARGY BNY 044 78.4 Westmeath
BALLYNOE BLO 058 87.1 Cork
BALLYPOREEN BPN 052 96.3 Tipperary
BALLYVAUGHAN BVN 065 83.7 Clare
BANGOR ERRIS BES 097 134.2 Mayo
BAWNBOY BBY 049 102.5 Cavan
BEHAGH BHH 065 57.6 Clare
BERNEY'S CROSS BYX 029 120.0 Cork
BILBOA BIB 059 0.0 Carlow
BINGHAMSTOWN BHM 097 0.0 Mayo
BLACKSOD BKD 097 23.9 Mayo
BLACKWATER BRIDGE BIG 064 93.3 Kerry
BOHERLAHAN BON 0504 35.4 Tipperary
BRACKNAGH BKG 057 84.9 Offaly
BROADFORD (Shannon) BRF 061 37.5 Clare
BROSNA BNA 068 94.5 Kerry
BRUREE BEE 063 58.3 Limerick
BUNNANADDAN BUD 071 0.0 Sligo
BUTLERS BRIDGE BUB 049 0.0 Cavan
BWEENG BWG 021 53.0 Cork
CAHER CER 061 125.6 Clare
CAHERAGH CEA 028 0.0 Cork
CAHERDANIEL CRD 066 134.7 Kerry
CALVERSTOWN CVW 045 24.0 Kildare
CANNINGSTOWN CAW 042 85.8 Cavan
CAPE CLEAR CCI 028 8.7 Cork
CARRICKGLASS CKG 043 0.0 Longford
CARRIG CGB 057 0.0 Tipperary
CARRIGALLEN CIG 049 67.4 Leitrim
CARRIGANIMMY CIM 026 67.0 Cork
CARRON CRR 065 106.8 Clare
CARROWMORELACKEN CMK 096 47.0 Mayo
CASHEL CAS 095 71.3 Galway
CASTLEJORDAN CSJ 046 42.5 Meath
CASTLEMAHON CMN 069 41.4 Limerick
CHERRYVILLE CYE 045 0.0 Kildare
CHURCHTOWN CHW 022 0.0 Cork
CLARE ISLAND CIS 098 16.3 Mayo
CLASHMORE CMO 058 0.0 Waterford
CLEGGAN CGG 095 35.0 Galway
CLOGHAN CGH 090 140.9 Offaly
CLOGHANE CHA 066 31.1 Kerry
CLOGHANS CRF 096 0.0 Mayo
CLONBULLOGUE CBE 046 49.6 Offaly
CLONBUR CNB 094 0.0 Galway
CLONDRA CNA 043 71.1 Longford
CLONKEEN CKE 064 88.0 Kerry
CLONSKEAGH CKH 01 0.0 Dublin
CLONYGOWAN CYG 057 0.0 Offaly
CLOONAGH CAH 098 0.0 Mayo
CLOONE CLU 071 86.7 Leitrim
CLOUGH COU 057 18.6 Laois
COLBINSTOWN COL 045 37.6 Kildare
COLEHILL CLL 044 66.9 Longford
CONNA CNN 058 0.0 Cork
COOLBAWN CBN 067 56.3 Tipperary
COOLCARRIGAN CCG 045 42.8 Kildare
COOLKENNO CKO 059 55.5 Wicklow
COOLRAIN CRN 057 93.8 Laois
COON COO 056 55.6 Kilkenny
CRAGGAGH CAG 065 108.1 Clare
CREGGS CGS 090 102.5 Galway
CRINKILL CRI 090 0.0 Tipperary
CROSS KEYS CKS 049 0.0 Cavan
CROSSBARRY CBA 021 0.0 Cork
CULDAFF CDF 074 35.3 Donegal
CULLAHILL CIL 057 37.2 Laois
CULLEN CUX 029 32.9 Cork
CURRANE CUA 098 0.0 Mayo
DOIRE CHONAIRE DCE 074 0.0 Donegal
DOOLEEG DLG 096 288.8 Mayo
DOONAHA DHA 065 42.1 Clare
DOWRA DRA 071 202.9 Leitrim
DROMARD DMD 071 90.0 Sligo
DRUMKEERAN DKN 071 121.4 Leitrim
DUNDERROW DUW 021 0.0 Cork
DUNDERRY DDY 046 0.0 Meath
EMMOO JUNCTION EMJ 090 0.0 Roscommon
ENNISKERRY KILGARRON EKK 01 0.0 Wicklow
ERRILL ERL 0505 55.9 Laois
EYRECOURT ECT 090 75.2 Galway
FEENAGH FGH 063 24.6 Limerick
FENAGH FEH 059 46.3 Carlow
FERRYBRIDGE FBD 094 0.0 Mayo
FINEA FNA 043 69.3 Westmeath
FINUGE FGE 068 36.3 Kerry
FORDSTOWN FWN 046 54.0 Meath
FOUR ROADS FRS 090 56.8 Roscommon
FYBAGH FYB 066 27.2 Kerry
GALBALLY GBY 062 41.4 Limerick
GARRANARD GRD 096 0.0 Mayo
GEESALA GSL 097 72.7 Mayo
GLANN GLA 091 0.0 Galway
GLASSLOUGH GLS 047 35.9 Monaghan
GLENAMOY GMI 097 144.1 Mayo
GLENCAR GCR 066 85.5 Kerry
GLENCREE GNE 01 0.0 Wicklow
GLENEELY GEY 074 58.5 Donegal
GLENFARNE GLF 071 0.0 Leitrim
GLENISLAND GIL 094 0.0 Mayo
GLENROE GLO 063 170.9 Limerick
GOOLDS CROSS GSX 0504 57.6 Tipperary
GRANAGH GNG 061 63.5 Limerick
GURTEEN GUN 090 120.6 Galway
HACKETSTOWN HKN 059 70.4 Carlow
HERBERTSTOWN HBN 061 88.1 Limerick
HOLLYMOUNT HMT 094 70.6 Mayo
INAGH ING 065 36.9 Clare
INCH INH 066 86.8 Kerry
INCHYDONEY INY 023 0.0 Cork
INISBOFIN IBF 095 95.2 Galway
INISHERE IHR 099 5.8 Galway
INISHMAAN INM 099 8.8 Galway
JOHNSWELL JWL 056 52.9 Kilkenny
KEEL KEL 098 61.7 Mayo
KELLS KLL 066 90.7 Kerry
KENAGH KNA 043 88.8 Longford
KILBRIDE KBE 01 30.6 Meath
KILCOMMON KCO 062 222.7 Tipperary
KILCROHANE KCH 027 52.2 Cork
KILKEE KKE 065 173.5 Clare
KILLADOON KON 098 81.2 Mayo
KILLIMOR KIR 090 78.6 Galway
KILMACANOGUE KMC 01 0.0 Wicklow
KILMEAD KMD 059 42.1 Kildare
KILMEEDY KMY 063 67.3 Limerick
KILRICKLE KCE 091 88.7 Galway
KILRONAN KRN 099 30.7 Galway
KILSHARVAN KSV 041 0.0 Meath
KILTYCLOGHER KLR 071 78.4 Leitrim
KINNITY KNT 057 88.4 Offaly
KNOCK KCK 065 99.1 Clare
KNOCKADERRY KKY 069 29.1 Limerick
KNOCKFERRY KNF 091 0.0 Galway
KNOCKNAGREE KNG 064 78.7 Cork
KNOCKRAHA KHA 021 0.0 Cork
LABASHEEDA LDA 065 49.2 Clare LAURAGH LRH 064 48.6 Kerry LAVAGH LVH 071 143.4 Sligo LEABEG LAG 057 45.7 Offaly LETTERFRACK LKR 095 96.6 Galway LISLEVANE LVN 023 40.4 Cork LISRONAGH LSR 052 0.0 Tipperary LISSELTON LSN 068 39.5 Kerry LISSYCASEY LCY 065 91.3 Clare LONGWOOD LWD 046 0.0 Meath LOSKERAN LOS 058 0.0 Waterford LUGGACURREN LRN 057 24.4 Laois LYRACROMPANE LPN 068 81.4 Kerry LYRE LYR 029 0.0 Cork MAAM MAM 091 91.8 Galway MARTINSTOWN MAN 063 17.5 Limerick MEANUS MUS 061 21.4 Limerick MEELIN MEN 029 63.7 Cork MILFORD MLD 063 41.4 Cork MONAMOLIN MLN 053 40.5 Wexford MONEYPOINT MPT 065 0.0 Clare MONKSLAND MNK 090 0.0 Roscommon MOYNE MNE 0504 49.6 Tipperary MOYNE CROSS MEX 049 0.0 Longford MUCKROSS MUC 064 0.0 Kerry MULLENNAGLOUGH MUG 051 78.6 Tipperary MULRANY MRY 098 70.1 Mayo MYSHALL MYL 059 59.0 Carlow NARRAGHMORE NAR 059 26.4 Kildare NEW INN NIN 090 65.3 Galway NEW INN NWN 052 61.4 Tipperary NEWBRIDGE NBE 090 62.9 Galway NEWCESTOWN NCN 021 63.9 Cork NEWTOWNCASHEL NTC 043 0.0 Longford NEWTOWNGORE NGO 049 59.5 Leitrim NEWTOWNSHANDRUM NSM 063 46.6 Cork OGONNELLOE OGO 061 20.7 Clare OLDTOWN OLD 01 0.0 Dublin OLDTOWN OWN 056 104.4 Kilkenny PARK PRK 094 0.0 Mayo PEAMOUNT LANE PML 01 0.0 Dublin POLLAGH PLL 057 0.0 Offaly PORTMAGEE PME 066 25.9 Kerry PUNCHESTOWN CROSS PNC 045 0.0 Kildare RACECOURSE ROAD RCR 042 0.0 Louth RAHEY CROSS RYX 065 98.4 Clare RATHOE RTO 059 41.3 Carlow READYPENNY RPY 042 34.9 Louth REARCROSS RRX 062 27.3 Tipperary RECESS RCS 095 156.2 Galway REDCROSS RDS 0404 19.7 Wicklow RINGASKIDDY PORT RIP 021 0.0 Cork ROBINSTOWN RBT 046 0.0 Meath ROCKCHAPEL RCH 029 62.7 Cork ROSEGREEN RGN 062 0.0 Tipperary ROSEMOUNT ROT 090 39.2 Westmeath ROSSOULTY RSY 0504 80.3 Tipperary ROSSPORT RSP 097 80.8 Mayo ROUNDSTONE RST 095 29.3 Galway RUAN RUN 065 0.0 Clare SALLYBROOK SBK 021 0.0 Cork SHANAHOE SNO 057 42.2 Laois SHANBALLY SHY 058 0.0 Waterford SHANNONBRIDGE SNB 090 73.6 Offaly SILVERMINES SIL 067 82.9 Tipperary ST JOHNSTON STJ 074 46.4 Donegal STRADBALLY STY 051 35.6 Waterford STRANOODEN SON 042 53.6 Monaghan SWANLINBAR SBR 049 83.0 Cavan TARELTON TAN 026 86.0 Cork TAUGHMACONNELL TML 090 77.0 Roscommon TEMPLEDERRY TDY 0504 43.9 Tipperary TEMPLEMARTIN TPN 021 34.5 Cork TEMPLEOWEN TMO 059 0.0 Carlow TEMPLETUOHY TPY 0504 42.5 Tipperary THE ROWER RWR 051 44.4 Kilkenny THE SWAN TSW 059 0.0 Laois TIMAHOE TOE 057 20.2 Laois TOBERELATAN TBL 091 111.1 Galway TOOMEVARA TOO 067 62.2 Tipperary TOOREEN TOR 094 0.0 Mayo TOURMAKEADY TEY 094 110.5 Mayo TOURNAFULLA TFA 069 49.2 Limerick TULLAMORE COURT TMC 057 0.0 Offaly TULLY CROSS TUX 095 49.1 Galway TUOSIST TST 064 128.0 Kerry URLAUR URL 094 100.3 Mayo VALENTIA ISLAND VIS 066 28.5 Kerry VALLEYMOUNT VMT 045 81.4 Wicklow VENTRY VTY 066 28.5 Kerry WALSH ISLAND WIS 057 26.5 Offaly WOLFHILL WOL 059 42.4 Laois WOODLAWN WLN 090 52.1 Galway

Big Lar

Thanks for the input lads but the post has gone wayyyyy of topic. As nigel has said above Bandwidth is the killer and is therefore the key to the successful start of any small WISP/Community Group.

My original post was simply about, Eircom, O2, Vodafone and all the other providers have the means to supply a small WISP with a startup package, could they be persuaded to do it ? I know DSL upload is ****e but anything is better than the dongle.

Can they be persuaded to offer a package with from 5 Mbs upwards and 1 to however many IP address to these groups.

At the start of our campaign I contacted all the Business teams of those providers and was told that "No such package was available".

So its very simple, can we as a group persuade the likes of these companies to come to the party ?

nigelhanlon

Well in my opinion its all about demand. It makes no sense for a business to do anything unless there is a clear need for it and that need is worth the expense.

If we want some kind of WISP starter package then as a group we need to express our interest.

Just as an interesting off topic thought, how are internet cafes supplied with broadband? If most ISP terms and conditions forbid the resale of the connection and the cafes make money by providing access to the internet, does this not void the t&c? They are basically reselling the connection on a per hour/minute basis.

Also since most community schemes would be not-for-profit do you think we could convince providers that the resale risk does not apply. I'm guessing that most have that clause to stop you selling it to your neighbors etc.

Big Lar

I had thought of that about the reselling also, My thinking was hotels rather than coffee shops.

But just because someone else is breaking the T&C's then that does not give us the right to break them, t'would be fair disappointing to have your scheme up and running and the lose your bandwidth.

nigelhanlon

Well I was not suggesting breaking the t&c but wondering if there was special provisions for reselling connections that hotels or internet cafes use. Surely the ISP knows what the connection is going to be used for?

I wonder how many schemes would be set up if the problem of backhaul could be solved? Are there like minded individuals out there who would enjoy the challenge or are we solving a problem that no one but a small few will build on?

Big Lar

Solving a problem that no one but a small few will build on?

Thats the ten thousand dollar question

Sponge Bob

But you guys are fogetting how dificult it is to get backhaul in Ireland, eircom esb and bt are the only national networks. Ultimately everything transits one of those networks ( even UPC does)

You have one of the best ISPs in Ireland in Dungarvan ....confined to the town though. Can they spare anything??? Or what about Crossan in Longford, same deal. ???

The mobile networks are wheezy in rural areas, can't keep up with demand.

nigelhanlon

Just emailed Crossan to see if they would be interested in providing the backhaul connection for broadband in Keenagh. If they agree, a PtP link over the 12Km should be feasible to bring a connection as far as the village. There is mostly flat bog separating the two.

Shall have to wait and see what they say. Not sure where exactly to put a transmitter in Longford though.

Big Lar

nigelhanlon wrote: »

Just emailed Crossan to see if they would be interested in providing the backhaul connection for broadband in Keenagh. If they agree, a PtP link over the 12Km should be feasible to bring a connection as far as the village. There is mostly flat bog separating the two.

Shall have to wait and see what they say. Not sure where exactly to put a transmitter in Longford though.

This site here may be a bit of help too you nigel
http://wisp.heywhatsthat.com/ or there is also a ubiquiti link calculator http://www.ubnt.com/airlink/

both of then use google mapping which may not be exact

Big Lar

As for the transmitter location in Longford, you could canvas a couple of commercial premises

Oceans12

Big Lar wrote: »

Let them charge €20.00 - €30.00 per Mb and have packages starting from 5Mb to 24Mb, It would be easy to get a connection to a house or building close to an exchange and then for the community group to manage and distribute it wirelessly from there, in terms of DSL also the low upload rate.

I'm sure it would be viable for them any ideas of how we could get the major players involved ?

Would a petition work I wonder ?

depends on what company you approach, in relation to eircom not a hope, the problem for speed is the crap connectivy this country has in terms of cable in the ground in many towns throughout Ireland..

if each subscriber to a community scheme, is a member, eg like members in an estate management company, then you are not reselling it, each member of the company would be just enjoying the services provided by the company as members of it... ie like the way most clubs are going ltd nowadays ...

the best way is probably, enterprise wireless connection to the net,
(pricey) and you could get a block of public addresses also, depends what LOS you have ...


also you are faced with different usage patterns of data per user, ie you could have one high bit torrent user maxing out the link...

if you setup your community group / user group as below, then in effect wouldnt you then not be reselling ?



Company limited by guarantee without a share capital

This is a public company and the minimum number of members is 7. It is a company which has not been established to earn profits for its members but rather to carry out a specific purpose.

The members liability is limited to the amount they have undertaken to contribute to the assets of the company, being not less than €1 in the event that the company is wound up. Limited By Guarantee companies do not have a share capital, they are not required to raise funds from the members and they still retain the benefits of limited liability and a separate legal entity.

This type of company is favoured by groups of people coming together for a common purpose, it is used for charitable and professional bodies who wish to have the protection of limited liability.
The most commonly uses for Limited by Guarantee Company are:

Charities - Charitable status can be applied for to the Revenue Commissioners on projects which are set up for charitable, scholastic or religious purposes
Residential Associations
Property management
Educational
Sports clubs
Trade Associations
Professional bodies
Associations

Advantages of Companies Limited by Guarantee:

They have legal identities separate from its members
Individual members are almost totally protected against liability
They can buy and sell property in the name of the organisation
They can take or defend legal proceedings in its own name
Companies are generally democratic organisations - they have a membership

Oceans12

Sponge Bob wrote: »

eircom offers national ethernet products in fully half their exchanges...even Ardmore Co., Waterford qualifies as do many small rural exchanges ( albeit only really those with fibre) .

national ethernet is also distance dependent too isnt it?

Sponge Bob

as is DSL, however ethernet is sometimes last mile provisioned on copper and sometimes on fibre ( always for larger amounts) .

Fibre only presents a problem beyond the practical limit for Gigabit LX meaning over perhaps 30km