[170723] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: Starting a greenfield carrier backbone network that can scale
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (charles@thefnf.org)
Fri Apr 4 10:30:13 2014
Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2014 09:29:52 -0500
From: charles@thefnf.org
To: nanog@nanog.org
In-Reply-To: <533EBCE0.5000804@amplex.net>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces+nanog.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@nanog.org
On 2014-04-04 09:08, Mark Radabaugh wrote:
> On 4/3/14, 4:52 PM, charles@thefnf.org wrote:
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> It's been some time since I've been subscribed/replied/posted here (or
>> on WISPA for that matter). I've been pretty busy running a non profit
>> startup (protip: don't do that. It's really really terrible) :) I'm
>> cofounder and CTO of the Free Networking Foundation. Our goal is to
>> bring broadband (5 mbps symmetric to start) bandwidth to the 2/3 of
>> Americans who currently can't get it (rural, urban core, undeserved,
>> "$ILEC stops on otherside of street" etc).
>>
>>
>> Please feel free to visit us at https://www.thefnf.org for more
>> information.
>>
> I'm equally confused. Last mile is much more of a problem than
> backbone.
Quite true. This is why we've started there, and it's been our primary
focus. We have more work to do of course. However efforts are promising
and ongoing.
I run a (for a WISP) mid size end user network. Raw
> bandwidth cost is <8% of our expenses.
Nice. That's not horrible. You have an AS/ip space? Or buying blended?
Last mile delivery and
> transport around our own network is the expensive part.
Yes. It certainly is. Gear, end user support, truck rolls etc.
>
> Nearly all of the action in new last mile networks is wireless or
> small provider FTTx deployments. I would look at what WISPA
> (www.wispa.org) is doing,
Yes. I'm quite connected with the WISPA folks, especially the
principals.
as well at the FTTH council
> (www.ftthcouncil.com)
Wasn't familiar with them. Thanks!
to see what is being done in last mile. The
> FCC and Agriculture departments is also heavily involved in rural and
> last mile deployments and is (depending on your view) either funding
> these deployments, distorting the markets by discouraging private
> investment, or wasting lots of money.
Yeah. I've been keeping an eye on that. We've helped several network
builds happen via grants. Usually from local economic development
councils.
