Local Network: Starting a Local Broadband Wireless Network in New Britain via Federal Stimulus Funding
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $7.2 billion in stimulus funding for broadband deployment in unserved and underserved communities. Most of this federal broadband stimulus funding is earmarked for nonprofit organizations and local government entities.
Many community-based nonprofits turn to their local Council of Government (COG) for help with federal grant applications. Usually, the COG's administrative fee is factored into the grant request.
A Jeffersonian Internet?
Federal broadband stimulus funding is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for local nonprofit organizations -- especially community media centers -- to become Internet service providers (ISP) and begin developing new revenue streams. It's also an historic opportunity for advocates of Internet Freedom. Creating community-based broadband networks would be a huge step toward creating the critical "third pipe" alternative to the cable/telco duopoly. The proliferation of these community-based networks would generate market pressure to force the major carriers to restore “net neutrality” protections for broadband users.
In short, this broadband stimulus opportunity opens the door to the possibility of a new “Jeffersonian Internet” comprised of a “network-of-grassroots-networks” where civil liberties and quality journalism are valued over Wall Street business models.
Why Wireless?
Why wireless? Some advocates believe that fiber-to-the-home should be the goal of U.S. broadband policy. While commendable, this view overlooks two critical factors: First, implementing this policy would take time, especially in rural areas. Wireless, meanwhile, could deliver broadband quickly in many rural and low-income urban areas, while a long-term fiber component is being pursued. Second, broadband is going mobile, which requires a wireless solution. Given these realities, it's clear that the best solutions for community-based networks will be some combination of fiber and wireless deployment. Fiber and wireless also provide symmetrical speeds – where upload and download speeds are roughly the same. By contrast, cable and DSL technologies are asymmetrical, whereby upload is a fraction of the download speed. That's why cable and DSL technologies have a limited future.
It's imperative that community-based groups seize this historic opportunity. The broadband stimulus funding guidelines are written to favor community-based networks; however, where local networks are not forthcoming, Wall Street-controlled, absentee-owned networks could prevail.
The Hidden Costs of Absentee-Owned Networks
Underserved communities and neighborhoods -- both rural and urban -- have suffered long enough under absentee-owned networks. Advances in digital technologies now make it possible for even the smallest community to own and operate a broadband network. Moreover, local networks can build and operate broadband networks more cost-effectively because their designs do not include additional electronics for "deep packet inspection," a controversial digital-snooping technique that allows big carriers to track how customers use the Internet.
Local networks create local jobs, instead of outsourcing jobs overseas. Local networks also bring “social capital” benefits –- a critical ingredient for innovation -- because their IT staff live and work in the communities they serve. These local experts are thereby available to share their knowledge and experience with the community's schools, youth organizations, and local businesses. The social capital impact of local networks on innovation, job-creation, and economic development deserves serious attention from economists and broadband policy analysts.
This recipe is aimed at locally-owned "last-mile" networks to serve homes and businesses. However, some communities start with a "middle-mile" fiber network to help reduce wholesale bandwidth costs for local industry, hospitals, schools and government agencies. Unfortunately, these “institutional” networks leave the last-mile service to commercial providers, who -- by necessity -- cherry-pick the more lucrative business subscribers, leaving low-income neighborhoods underserved.
Basic Ingredients:
1. Vision
2. The Need
3. IT Team
4. Upstream Internet Link
5. Network Design
6. Network Hardware
7. Wireless Transmitter Site:
8. Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)
9. Staffing and Operating Budget
These wireless technologies are usually employed in three ways:
1. Last-mile to the home or business via a modem/receiver connected to the subscriber's computer. This modem picks up the signal from the transmitter/antenna array, or wireless access point (WAP).
2. Tower-to-tower (or roof-top to roof-top) to extend the reach of the network by connecting two or more WAPs to middle-mile, upstream bandwidth;
3. "Mesh" wireless, which is a complementary "last-mile" application linking multiple Wi-Fi hot-spots (described above under "Network Design").
Those who are interested to work on this project will need to be able: draft a preliminary network design based on the area we plan to serve and the availability of the upstream link, creates a giant Wi-Fi hotspot, selecting network hardware, be able to handles tech-support calls via mobile phones while in the field installing a new subscriber. This project will be run and maintain directly by you and few other members without hierarchical management chart. You need to be able to learn this trade and be dedicated to this project for a long run. It will be your pet project. You need to be "Uber-geek".
We are currently working on writing proposal for a grant. This project would create two full time IT jobs expecting $40,000 a year, expected to start fully in March or May.
If you are still interested in this project and would like to learn more, become part of it, or just advise, please come to the meeting Monday Dec. 21st 2009 at: ArtAndStruggle.Com, 19Chestnut Street, New Britain, CT
06051
Or send us en e-mail at: Contact@ArtAndStruggle.Com, tel.: 917-476-8660
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