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Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

snozboz
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Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

<provocative_idea>  :-?
How about using some money from the TV licence fee to pay for fibre optic cable to be installed nationally in the "last mile" between the exchanges and every home and business?
And even... How about getting the BBC to do it (so as not to create yet another quango)?
It seems unlikely that "the market" (ie the ISPs) will do it.  And 100Mbps or higher broadband would seem more than desirable these days, for many reasons.
</provocative_idea action="hides for cover as the arguments begin">
There's an online petition that may be relevant: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/fibrenetwork/
but I like to think my idea is more radical, as well as having an idea for funding.  Wink
Martin
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The_10th
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

VileReynard
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

I'm a bit surprised that this fibre that's being laid appears to be limited to a measly 100Mbits/sec.
For example back in 1999 it was possible to manage 160,000 Mbits/sec down a 300Km cable...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/517733.stm
It is speculated that by using multiple frequencies simultaneously that this speed could be increased by a factor of at least 100.  Grin

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Spider
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

[quote=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7202396.stm]...
BT has argued that with costs of up to £15bn to roll out such a network it needs to be convinced of demand and have assurances from the government that it will be able to recoup its investment.
....
Good point. If the Government can guarantee money invested in Northern Rock why can't it do the same for BT as this would benefit a lot more people and business's as well.
VileReynard
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Quote from: Spider
...If the Government can guarantee money invested in Northern Rock why can't it do the same for BT as this would benefit a lot more people and business's as well.

Note 1.
In the case of Northern Rock it's only a guarantee - it might cost nothing or only a small fraction of the gaurantee, whilst for BT it would be a definite cost.
Note 2.
If the Rock sinks then a lot of people are going to lose their jobs, it will likely cause even more liquidity problems and all loans (mortgages, credit cards etc) will be difficult to come by. Since NR is based in the North it will hit one area especially hard.
Note 3.
I'm a (very small) shareholder in NR  Roll_eyes Roll_eyes Roll_eyes

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

kryten1st
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

I think the BBC have far more important ways of spending our money  Angry  like on the constant drivel they broadcast or hey I have an idea why dont they give millions of our money to Jonathan Ross and the like bargain eh.  I think you have a good idea there snozboz I might not resent paying these people as much if they helped to increase our broadband lets face it BT certainly wont.  I like to come up with my own interpretation of what BBC means  Wink
Spider
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

@axisofevil
re Note 1:
It should also be a guarantee that BT won't lose money, which is BTs concern with the investment.
re Note 2:
The Government as shown no real interesting saving other peoples jobs when a company goes under so why should Northern Rock be the exception.
re Note 3:
Buying shares is a gamble and there I don't believe the government should protect this type of gamble. There are already provisions in place with regard to people with savings, etc and this applies to any bank that may go under.
MauriceC
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Quote from: axisofevil
I'm a bit surprised that this fibre that's being laid appears to be limited to a measly 100Mbits/sec.
For example back in 1999 it was possible to manage 160,000 Mbits/sec down a 300Km cable...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/517733.stm
It is speculated that by using multiple frequencies simultaneously that this speed could be increased by a factor of at least 100.  Grin

Current (well about 6 months ago) record for transmitting data down an 80Km fibre cable is 1.6 Tbps.  Yup. Tera bits per second.
Not quite in production yet.  More common trunk capacity is 40 Gbps with 80 Gbps poised as the new 'norm'.
Scary?
MauriceC

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Strat
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Serious stuff first.
Fantastic idea and on the face of it I can't wait.
However is the rest of the infrastructure up to the task, I'm thinking of ISP's equipment, exchange gear etc and what will be the data charges be like to ISPs and end users.
It will all come to pass but will we be ready for it.
Now for 'not so serious' stuff
Quote from: BBC
Fibre firm H2O provides super-fast broadband via the sewers

I thought that's where most of my emails came from Sad

Sorted Cheesy
Quote from: BBC
BT has pledged to provide all new housing estates in the UK with fibre connections

If you want fast Internet....buy a new house Roll_eyes
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To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
snozboz
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

@Kryten1st:
Exactly.  I'd like to (re)define the licence fee as paying for public service broadcasting - which at the moment is done mainly through the BBC.  Which means it makes sense (to me at least  Wink ) for the BBC to have to install fibre optic cabling - it would be a public service, and would fulfill the same purpose as "broadcasting" does now (e.g. entertainment, news, access to "niche" art forms etc).
I think this should only be for the "last mile" between the exchange and every home and business.  The core network from exchanges through to the ISPs would still be handled by "the market" - I would have thought that there would be a stronger profit motive for ISPs to pay for this infrastructure improvement.  And I wouldn't have thought there would be the same problems of ISPs reluctant to extend to the far-flung (and less profitable) reaches of the country.
Are my thinkings wrong?
More articles of relevance:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/17/broadband.technology
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/17/broadband
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/10/btgroupbusiness.internet
Martin
The_10th
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Quote from: Strat
...If you want fast Internet....buy a new house Roll_eyes

Have you seen the price of houses?  Grin
Strat
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Quote from: geezer
Quote from: Strat
...If you want fast Internet....buy a new house Roll_eyes

Have you seen the price of houses?  Grin

Never mind that. Think of the benefits of fibre Roll_eyes
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To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
scootie
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

may i just add this. the t.v licence is for any t.v radio reciving eqpument and your money goes to the govement. wen u pay they just make the bbc collect that money for them.
jus like the goverment to make sum one else do there dirty work.
i heard that bt went to numba 10(when magi thatcher was in power) and said they would pay to install fiber opitic and she said bog off and wouldnt give premison to dig up the roads.
any one else heard this?
and yes the extra speed would put us bac in the race of i.t against the rest of the world but what about bt central pipes when will bt be able to offer unlimted use of these so we no long have usage caps
The_10th
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Quote from: Strat
Quote from: geezer
Quote from: Strat
...If you want fast Internet....buy a new house Roll_eyes

Have you seen the price of houses?  Grin

Never mind that. Think of the benefits of fibre Roll_eyes

With the money you could pay for a private cct - well nearly  Grin
Midnight_Caller
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Re: Could TV licence fee pay for fibre optic cables in "last mile"?

Watt is cct?   Huh