Municipal Broadband Update → Good Idea IF...IF... setup correctly!

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I'm for this option. At least when the "power goes out" (if it does) you can then "complain" to the municipality to get it fixed! Being that the "leadership" could be fired BY THE PEOPLE, things should get fixed, quickly/quicker (and local/state govt. officials that can't/wont get things fixed/upgraded will be finding it harder to get re-elected, possible!)

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I would like to see more communities find out about the following company and what it has to offer:

»www.powerline-plc.com/

Looks like municipalities would be able to utilize this product, which is Broadband delivered over common and local power lines!

I believe things have come a long way since this idea first came to fruition.

How would you like to just be able to "plug-in" your computer (no RJ11/RJ45/Coaxial cables) into ANY wall-outlet in your house??? I WOULD!
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I live in the the tri-cities area, and when I read about this tonight I thought, 'hey finally a group of people finally know what to do..' At&t has given us the shaft in terms of broadband for reasons that are unclear to me. I mean, the area is developing quickly, and if they wanted to make bank, offering cable modem to it's subscribers would be the quickest way. Unfortunately it isn't so. It'll take a while for this project to take off, only because the people involved will take their sweet time, as well as get grief from current providers and the such. In essence, it's a mess, but it isn't, if that makes any sense. Ameritech has done a half assed job making DSL availible widespread in the area, and it doesnt seem like they care too. Pretty sad actually...

said by Webmaniac$:

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Looks like municipalities would be able to utilize this product, which is Broadband delivered over common and local power lines!

I believe things have come a long way since this idea first came to fruition.

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data over power lines is *EVIL*. it pollutes the HF spectrum world wide because powerlines act as antennas. anything that radiates also receives so any HF transmitter will degrade/destroy the service.

please use networking that doesn't spray HF noise.

-- eric

But given the plans that are currently being talked about every home and business in the tri-cities would have access to broadband, cable and phone services that FAR surpassed anything that ATT and Ameritech offer ANYWHERE.

What I think most casual observers miss is that the FTTH (fiber to the home) thats being considered in Geneva is light years beyond even the most advanced cable modems and DSL in deployment anywhere. Not only could the tri-cities offer broadband service that blew the doors off anything in nearby communities, but because it could finance with municipal bonds at a very low interest rate, and with a 10-15 year maturity, it could charge rates for phone that are far below current rates charged by the big carriers and still be cashflow positive within a couple years.

A referendum should be on the ballot as early as next spring, and if that passes I don't see any reason that construction wouldn't begin during the summer with early subscribers turning up before Christmas 2003. I encourage anyone in the area to learn all they can about this project, read the powerpoint summary of the study and tell your neighbors how important this project will be to the future economic prosperity and growth of the tri-cities.