DIY Fiber

random_punter_2

In light of the recent Google Fiber hype I would be interested in seeing if people would be receptive to taking matters into their own hands with regards to high speed data links to the home and applying to local councils to hang fiber cable on telephone lines. In my particular case we live in a pocket of houses which are about 4k from our closest exchange in Kildare.
If we could get a single fiber link to the area we could share this connection using point to point wireless connections because it is currently unacceptability slow. Has anyone experience of trying something similar and if so where did you find resistance? Any advice appreciated.

I think we should strike while the iron is hot and take advantage of the buzz that Google Fiber has created to highlight the bad state of broadband access in Ireland.

bealtine

random_punter_2 wrote: »

If we could get a single fiber link to the area we could share this connection using point to point wireless connections because it is currently unacceptability slow. Has anyone experience of trying something similar and if so where did you find resistance? Any advice appreciated.

I think we should strike while the iron is hot and take advantage of the buzz that Google Fiber has created to highlight the bad state of broadband access in Ireland.

IrelandOffline have worked on that fiber thing.

Again IrelandOffline have been shouting about the poor state of broadband in Ireland for the last few years. See www.irelandoffline.org for more details

MrO

http://www.broadband.coop/Projects/

Some related UK examples which might give you some inspiration.

Not to put you off - but a serious uphill struggle in many many ways

Nody

Well I posted in another thread; with about 150 households all chipping in about 2.5k EUR each we got a fibre pulled in to our estate for people to connect to. The money paid for the main fibre and digging the main line (we dug our own connection to the main cable). This was a couple of years ago and that don't include the running costs of maintaining it (or the central hub).

Hence do I think it's doable for "a pocket of houses"? No, not really as pulling and splicing fibre is not something a layman can do.

random_punter_2

Nody, Could you please detail the running cost breakdown, the uplink costs and what you get for that money, the provider and if the project has been a success.

Big Lar

You could get onto a WSEA node from Eircom and go wireless back to your group of houses, possibly get a licensed link and push a couple o' hundred Meg through that.

Sponge Bob

Nody wrote: »

Pulling and splicing fibre is not something a layman can do.

Can you tell us a bit more Nody,

Did you slit trench or duct for example. Were there any existing ducts, did you use pre lubricated subduct, how much of the plant is overhead and 'bendy'. Is it a PON or PTP ??

Thanks.

Nody

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Can you tell us a bit more Nody,

Did you slit trench or duct for example. Were there any existing ducts, did you use pre lubricated subduct, how much of the plant is overhead and 'bendy'. Is it a PON or PTP ??

Thanks.

I'm not living there any more and was not directly involved in the order but this is what I can recall (sorry for any questions not answered in advance).

We went with a new duct dug specifically for the fibre (as no one would allow us to piggy back on anything in the ground) which most likely added to the cost (but also ensured we could pull it the best way) using a third party (they brought in the machines etc. for doing the job and the splicing). We had a relatively fixed cost for the job (movable part was per connection added) and every additional home basically took a share in the cost and lowered the over all cost for everyone; the options were 1) No cable, 2) Dark cable (cable pulled but not activated) and 3) Active cable. The 2.5k was option 2 and 3 (the cost of installation to a central point at the wall in the house basically) cost with a minimum of 100 people joining in (to make the cost acceptable, this was communicated up front to all parties).

Running costs are relatively low because they took in everything on the fibre (phone, cable and internet) and hence could cancel other costs to offset part of the running costs. The main costs beyond power at the central hub has been technical support to maintain the MUX and the relevant parts at the hub when things have gone down (it has been prone to electrical disturbance due to thunderstorms etc. which I'd lean towards a UPS to fix but that's not my worry any more). Due to the fibre connection set up to a central MAN (with connection available through the backbones) there has been multiple companies that have been allowed to resell "their" internet access (with what ever limitations they wished to implement).

Has it been a success? Well imo yes but I'm a internet whore who got fibre over DSL :pac:. The main test will be how it holds up over the next 20 years, esp. in terms of value of it from future buyers (not all houses in the estate opted in) which was one of the main drivers for some households. I think the options it opens up and the fact that the cost is relatively close (taking it as a whole package) compared to "standard" DSL + phone + cable with more options (and greatly improved speeds) and is more future proof makes it a success.