• Matthew Brack posted an update in the group AvatarThe Eden Declaration:   2 weeks, 3 days ago · View

    Thinking about Ed Vaizey’s recent speech on net neutrality and ISPs managing the Internet (http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Media/documents/2010/11/17/EdVaizey.pdf), success for this policy will depend on market competition and consumer choice - could this pose a problem for remote communities?

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      Guy Jarvis · 2 weeks, 3 days ago

      The First Mile monopoly problem is a real risk and now is the right time to be considering the alternatives and making informed choices.

      It is helpful to separate apart the underlying access network infrastructure, the fibre pipes, from the use those pipes get put to, namely the transmission and reception of pulses of light (well infrared actually) that in turn carry information to and fro.

      First Mile FttH (Fibre to the Home) networks in rural Final Third areas are natural monopolies as once one network is built then there are no customers to pay for a subsequent deployment.

      By recognising and being proactive about the terms of trade then this monopoly infrastructure situation can be effectively derisked.and consumer choice through market competition assured.

      I blogged about this here http://5tth.blogspot.com/2010/07/bringing-utopia-to-eden.html and the importance of ensuring community interest ownership remains for the access network to be structurally separated from and responsive to the delivery of content, services and applications.

      The objective being to provide the best future-proof platform for competition and innovation to flourish - these are not technological outcomes, rather questions of ownership, interest and value, to whom and to what extent.