Executive Summary

One of the significant challenges facing network operators today is the high capital cost of deploying next generation broadband network to individual homes or schools. Fiber to the home only makes economic sense for a relatively small percentage of homes or schools. One solution is a novel new approach under development in several jurisdictions around the world is to bundle the cost of next generation broadband Internet with the deployment of solar panels on the owners roof or through the sale of renewable energy to the homeowner. Rather than charging customers directly for the costs of deployment of the high speed broadband network theses costs instead are amortized over several years as a small discount on the customer’s Feed in Tariff (FIT) or renewable energy bill. There are many companies such as Solar City that will fund the entire capital cost of deploying solar panels on the roofs of homes or schools, who in turn make their money from the long term sale of the power from the panels to the electrical grid. In addition there are no Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) and Green Bond Funds that will underwrite the cost of larger installations.

For further information and detailed business analysis please contact Bill St. Arnaud at bill.st.arnaud@gmail.com.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Open access infrastructure for community networks and economic benefits of rural broaband

[John Sehn has put together an excellent overview of open access infrastructure for community networks at his company’s web site that is dedicated to issues around FTTH Public Private Partnership Analysis.. His organization is also working on a business plan to build regional community networks build around these models. Also Washington Post recently carried an article on the economic benefits of rural broadband on Benoit Felten’s blog – BSA]
Community FTTH networks: Structural Options
http://www.sane.ca/communicationsalliance/planning/Community%20FTTH%20Networks%20(public%20version).pdf/view

See also his section on Community Networks
http://www.sane.ca/communicationsalliance

Various open fiber projects around the world
http://www.fiberevolution.com/2009/04/end-of-week-fiber-news-roundup.html


Do jobs follow broadband access
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042203637.html

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Google on How to Change the Internet: You Should Own Your Broadband Pipes

[A great talk by Derek Slater at Google. The concept of customer owned networks, like the Internet started with the university community and is now slowing expending into the commercial world. As I mentioned in previous post, network deployments in Switzerland, Amsterdam, Norway and Sweden enable this type of business model. Thanks to Maxine Brown for this pointer –BSA]

Google on How to Change the Internet: You Should Own Your Broadband Pipes

http://gizmodo.com/5234611/google-on-how-to-change-the-internet-you-should-own-your-broadband-pipes


FTTH provider’s customers bury their own fiber
http://free-fiber-to-the-home.blogspot.com/2009/04/ftth-providers-customers-bury-their-own.html


NAB: FTTH provider’s customers bury their own fiber


LAS VEGAS -- A Norwegian triple-play provider has a unique solution to the pesky problem of digging up consumers' yards to bury fiber-to-the-home. Lyse Tele, an overbuilder that launched its fiber-based all-IP solution in 2002, installs the fiber right to the edge of a customer's lawn, then gives the customer instructions on how to bury their own fiber cable to the house.

[..]