Hi all, For a long long time I had been wondering that couldn't community based networks be the answer to last mile broadband. I knew I had read something about it sometime ago but the link was lost. Found it again, hence posting it so other people could take a lake at it as well & see if there is something that can be done about it.. If its a repeat, then sorry, its just the sort of thing which should be taken up. What do u guys think?

http://emperor.canarie.ca/pipermail/news/2006/000281.html . If for some reason you're unable to reach the site use google's cache to retrieve them. Here's the gist of that mail.

Bill St.Arnaud bill.st.arnaud at canarie.ca Wed Jun 7 10:08:29 EDT 2006

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For more information on this item please visit the CANARIE CA*net 4 Optical Internet program web site at http://www.canarie.ca/canet4/library/list.html -------------------------------------------

[In a recent trip to Sweden I was pleasantly surprised to discover a very successful community fiber project in Vasteras Sweden. The local electrical utility Malarenergi has developed a unique and very successful solution for deploying FTTH to over 50% of the homes with an amazing 53 take up rate. They have over 30,000 customers and this is in despite of stiff competition from both a local telephone and cable company. More amazingly they have only a staff of less tan 18 FTEs to operate and manage the network.

The Malarenergi is also a good example of how banks can play an important role in financing customer owned last mile networks. The banks have the security of the home to loan against and provide low cost financing - and they are not in the business of running networks. In Amsterdam the ING bank is a major financier of the Amsterdam FTTH project. As well a Swedish home can reduce 650 USD from the infrastructure cost in a tax reduction, which is another significant incentive for homes to get connected with fiber.

For single homes Malarenergi have two kinds of customers. 1) Those who are organized in a community or condominium. This community makes agreements regarding cable Tv etc 2) Those who are stand alone customers.

In the former case the network is a LAN which is purchased and owned by the community in that area. The juridical person is the community who can take loans and rent the networks out to the different homes. Two banks provides financing.

For the individual home the customers usually arranges their own financing for the fiber by loaning on their house. The typical cost for the fiber is $USD 2800.

For both types the Malarenergi sales pitch is 1) Futureproof. Malarenergi does not start building unless 60% or more of the homes in that area sign up. Most people do not want to be left behind. The homes increases in value (ap/prox 6500 USD according to some firms. See the sign up page http://stadsnat.malarnetcity.se/villa/

2) Freedom of choice of the services. This means competition and valuable services. See for example internet prices http://www.malarnetcity.se/services/services.php?category=Privatpersoner&... d=Internet

100 Mbps for less than $40 a month and a choice of at least 20 ISPs including Telia - the local telephone incumbent

3) The cost for the new fiber infrastructure spread out over 10 years is about (20-25 USD/month) plus 10 mbps internet (22 USD/month)is cheaper than an equivalent ADSL service.

The network technology is provided by a company called PacketFront - www.packetfront.com which uses web services to allow customers to do their own provisioning and selection of service providers.

Thanks to Matt Wenger of PacketFront and Robert Kelljberg of Malarenergi for this information -- BSA]

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These news items and comments are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the CANARIE board or management.

----------- Bill.St.Arnaud at canarie.ca www.canarie.ca/~bstarn skype: pocketpro SkypeIn: +1 614 441-9603

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/

http://www.canarie.ca/canet4/library/customer/Last_Mile_Customer_Owned_Netwo... :- If one isn't getting this link go to google's cache & read the same as html.

http://www.frankston.com/

Engage, debate, say what u will , hoping for a better tomorrow :)