The World Wide Web is a major source of information, knowledge and (sometimes) wisdom. The Internet allows for business, social and community networking and access to the web knowledge bases. It is also a necessary adjunctive service in support of public and private schooling. Here is the proposal for the establishment of a low cost, community-wide, hybrid network for Internet access.
Topology: The central axis would be down town Philomath, as close to the fiber optic cable port of a major carrier (i.e. AT&T) (root station) as we can get. From this point the signal would be sent by four directional antenna, north, east, south and west to four transceivers (distal stations). Each station would also have a 360 degree omni antenna for local broadcast. Where the omni signal from each station begins to fade, the traffic would be placed on the mesh network. The mesh is a series of peer-to-peer transceivers of low power, which automatically receives and re-transmits the signal to the neighborhood (a node). Over time and build-out, the signal would be found throughout the Muddy Creek watershed and environs.
Equipment: The Internet service starts at the root with a T-1 “pipe” (fiber optic cable) say from A T & T which also supplies the T-1 router. As traffic grows, additional T- 1 pipes are “bonded” together so that the capacity is increased. The root station and each distal station would have the point-to-point antenna so as to extend the distance and preserve the signal. The power which is allowed is regulated by the FCC. The distance and power for the directional antenna is much greater than for the omni antenna. By having the distal stations at the “end of the line” and local distribution of the signal thereat, there still would be gaps between the areas served by these omni antennas. The gaps are filled in by small, inexpensive, low power routers, which pickup the omni signal, boosts the power and retransmit in a circle. As additional nodes are added, the coverage becomes more complete. The equipment list and approximate costs can be found at: http://alamedawireless.org/?id=5-4-0
Carrier service: AT&T can provide T-1 service to 19th St. and Highway 20, Philomath, for $600 per month. By qualifying as an Internet Service Provider (reseller), we can expect a much lower monthly cost per T-1. There are brokers of T-1 service who buy large amounts of service and then resell the service in small units. Also, there are Internet providers who transmit using satellites. The cost of T-1 service continues to drop. Costs: The costs of each node are borne by the user of that node. Most community networks have good sources of these units and low cost. The costs associated with the root and distal stations would be that of the entity, Muddy Creek Community Internet (MCCI). These costs would be paid by a combination of annual subscription fees, initial “buy-in” fees, donations, and grants. MCCI would be a legal cooperative corporation, probably under IRS Regulation T, similar to a food co-op. It would probably be a 501.c.4 non-profit, with donations not tax deductible. If we have a very strong “community schooling mission”, then MCCI would probably qualify as a 501.c.3.
Financial: There are many sources of funding, both public and private to erase the “digital divide” especially in poorer, rural communities. Some sources which come to mind are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Paul Allan Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation and U. S. Department of Education. The grants would off-set the capital equipment costs and start-up costs for the root station and distal stations.
Location: Generally, the higher the antennas, the better the coverage, especially for the Omni antennas. Since the signals require line-of-sight, the higher the locations, the less likely that trees and buildings will interfere with the signals. We would need an agreement with local landowners to mount a mast on their barn or silo. Safe access is also an issue. Each station will need 120 volt power.
Peer Agreement: We need to make sure everyone who has a node is “on board”. All node owners will agree to the peer agreement. It is simple and very flexible. See: http://freenetworks.org/peering.html
Additional research: I have a file of research notes which I can email to anyone interested. There are plenty of organizations which can help us get started and no end of volunteer help. Some of the issues are security, legal and tax status of the entity, exact costing, application for service (retail versus wholesale), and relations with the local, state and federal (FCC) agencies. I have ordered five books from Amazon on the general subjects mentioned herein. I’ll be the spark plug to head-up this effort until and unless someone else volunteers. We will need some help finding the locations and local donations.
Jim Miller, jimmiller5417@yahoo.com; 541-757-9797