EU billions for broadband

[dudwell]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15320628

By the proposed start date of 2014 what's the betting that this will have been overtaken by events?

[Rik]

One sentence makes me very nervous:

It is hoped the initiative will also help to create a single market for digital public services.

You're right, though, this will come too late to be effective and will just pour money into the coffers of the telcos...

[pctech]

A single market for digital public services *shudders*

Does that mean I might end up having to deal with an ISP with a "follow the sun"  script driven contact centre strategy

[Rik]

At least the call centre will be based in Brussels.

[dudwell]

The declared goal is surely not particularly technologically ambitious "to get all European households on at least 30 megabits per second (Mbps) by 2020, with half the population enjoying more than 100Mbps" and I think this is deliberate. By 2014 don't we expect (or hope) that most advanced EU nations will be there or well on the way regardless?

So we won't qualify for (much) aid and most will go to those EU members perceived in Brussels to be lagging behind. In other words this programme is a vehicle for channeling funds eastwards and a large slice of those funds of course comes from the UK.

[Polchraine]

One of my homes is rather remote and a neighbour would love to get 500kbps through his phone line ...   OK, I have sorted him with a satellite connection (at almost no cost - provided he does not abuse it).   

The exchange is a 20'x12' wooden shed - 10 miles from the next nearest exchange and 15 miles from any exchange where fibre goes anywhere near.   He is then 7 or 8 miles from the shed which serves about 20 premises (residential and business).    Can you imagine running fibre out to there?   and then fibre to all of the premises - few of which would have any common ducting. 100 miles or more of trenches will need digging - there is very little ducting with space for fibre.    Who would pick up the bill for £500k or more?   

If the EU do fund it great but those residents know the costs and would certainly see it a a massive waste of money even though they would get service.

[Lance]

You'll note that it just says 'infrastructure' which could include wireless technology and associated equipment which would be far more suited, if developed, for some rural areas.

[Technical Ben]

Yep. Wireless might be the way to go (assuming the laws of physics don't interfere).

[Polchraine]

Yep. Wireless might be the way to go (assuming the laws of physics don't interfere).

The laws of physics are wonderful!

At his house, absolutely no mobile coverage whatsoever on any terrestrial network.   Walk/drive a short distance - 400-800 m to one of the hilltops and mobile coverage is excellent.     I cannot see permission being granted for thousands of small repeaters to be installed let alone who will foot the bill.

Someone else we know was approached by a mobile operator too put a base station on a hill top on his land - with suitable rent and two near unlimited, free connections.  He is just 400m from the mast - could he get a signal?    No,   he is in a close proximity black spot and the antenna down angle was not enough ...

[pctech]

Yep.

They would need to forward tilt one of the antenna to give him coverage but of course this would be at the expense of coverage in the direction of the particular antenna.


Unless they rigged up a picocell nearer his property.

[Technical Ben]

Well, the planning permission and the cost could be less than digging. Except where the groundworks already, where planning permission should already be granted.

[Polchraine]

Yep.

They would need to forward tilt one of the antenna to give him coverage but of course this would be at the expense of coverage in the direction of the particular antenna.


Unless they rigged up a picocell nearer his property.

It was sorted ... a base station tends to have 6 antenna modules around tower to give full 360 coverage - some may have less where a specific direction is not needed and there are variations too.   Inside each module is a series of antennas and they can be "steered" either as a whole or individually to get coverage.  In remote areas it is usual to have the beam as near horizontal as possible to get maximum range with just a small down angle to cater for the curvature of the earth.   All they probably did was electronically steer the bottom antenna to look down by 20 degrees or so - enough to bring the house and local area within the lobe.   He uses 3G for web access and has no data cap ether!

[dudwell]

By 2020 the abandoned wind turbines on every hilltop will make ideal antenna towers!

[Technical Ben]

I doubt they will be abandoned.


Pigeons take up residents anywhere they can...