NBP: National Broadband Plan Announced

Siena Gigantic Backyard wrote: »

I agree. It is most likely their proof of concept demonstration for the department, much like Ripplecom conducted trials recently. I guess some social media manager got wind of "for the NBP" and posted it. The department have not even launched the procurement phase yet so I don't see how Imagine can claim to have secured a contract.

I just hope whoever is making the procurement decisions can see through their snake oil.

They have a page set up for it http://www.imagine.ie/fibreconnect/
It uses the words, Proposed coverage.

roast wrote: »

Agreed, but I'd much prefer fixed wireless @ 100Mb instead of dodgy 4g/3g as a solution for the few % of places that can't be served by fibre.

Funnily enough my 3G stick + antenna is faster than my 5GHz 10Mbit fixed wireless nearly all of the time. 3G gets between 5 and 14Mbit and the fixed dish on the roof gets between 1-2Mbit most of the time. WISPs are scam artists, every single one of them.

rob808 wrote: »

yea I think imagine doing what eir doing so many of those houses in Kildare will be out of NBP.:mad:

I'm guessing you live in Kildare too?

I've never had any fixed line broadband (Eircom/Vodafone...) where I live. Using mobile broadband with useless usage limits. Gonna be pissed off if wireless is gonna be the only solution for the foreseeable future.

Anything but wireless
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4756558932

Hybrid DSL/LTE might creep into the plan. It's commercially available across Germany since March or so. It works basically as follows:
You need a hybrid capable modem. At present the only device on the market is the "Speedport Hybrid" Deutsche Telekom provide (it's a Huawei device inside). This device has a DSL connection and an LTE connection. It uses the DSL as much as possible and if the DSL is swamped, it sends and receives traffic over LTE. On the other side, Telekom stitches the data back together and forwards it on.

Telekom allows even what they call DSL-light users (so the poor unfortunates out in the sticks with a truly terrible 384kpbs download) to avail of this service. It remains to be seen how the LTE network holds up as more people make use of this service.

A DSL-Light or DSL-6000 customer can "boost" their speeds with LTE up to 16Mbps. A DSL 16000 customer (ADSL2+ Annex B causes less available bandwidth nence ADSL2+ connections here only go up to 16Mbps) can "boost" their speeds with LTE up to 50Mbps. They even allow VDSL users on 50Mbps to "boost" over LTE up to the full 100Mbps, though expected uptake there would be very low.

There are no data caps for either DSL or LTE components! pure LTE is always capped here, as it is in Ireland. Telekom obviously reckons that the majority of traffic will still end up going over the DSL, leaving their LTE network in relative peace, otherwise the whole concept would be madness.

The upsides are obvious: people with even very poor ADSL, especially those far from exchanges in rural areas, can enjoy a massive speed boost up to "urban" speeds.

The downsides are mainly (IMO) that the modem/router Telekom supply is basically a piece of junk. sure, it can do the hybrid trickery but it lacks a host of functionality you'd find in a FritzBox and the biggest problem: it doesn't function as a modem. You can't bridge it at all. You are forced to use its router part.

I don't think this hybrid DSL/LTE is actually available in too many places in the world. To me it's a sign that Telekom is way behind in decent fixed broadband more than anything else, but the technology exists and it would almost certainly satisfy the minimum speeds of any NBP specification, though as it's shared medium who knows how crappy it can get when congested.

Do you think one area could be covered by 2 providers under the national broadband plan?
Imagine will be supplying broadband to my area under the NBP (if that facebook post was accurate).
But I will also be covered by Eir's "Rural Fibre Routes" according to their map.

ACLFC7 wrote: »

Do you think one area could be covered by 2 providers under the national broadband plan?
Imagine will be supplying broadband to my area under the NBP (if that facebook post was accurate).
But I will also be covered by Eir's "Rural Fibre Routes" according to their map.

well no imagine doing what eir doing just on a smaller scale.There doing this as a showcase for there NBP submission so they get some of the NBP tender contract.They are hoping that the houses they cover will be out of NBP keeping most of there customers.

bk wrote: »

Well there would be only one operator under the NBP. The NBP just means they receive a government subsidy.

But that doesn't stop another operator supplying service on a purely commercial bases. That is what Eir's "Rural Fibre Routes" seem to be, Eit supplying FTTH on a purely commercial basis, with no subsidy.

So under this case, you could get service from either.

Though that is based on the current plans, it seems an updated NBP map is due to be published soon, which may end up excluding these Eir areas from the NBP. Thus no money for Imagine.

I don't think imagine getting any money of the goverment yet.There show there arrogant side by saying eir won't do any of the FTTH to rural areas how would they know and that 1 reason I wouldn't like them to win any of NBP.

KOR101 wrote: »

The government would have to move quite a distance from what they said in their Intervention Strategy to now include the wireless companies. What, technologically speaking, has really changed in the past couple of months.

well if they pick wisp as the winners of the NBP then it already a failure in my eyes especially if they do it just to save money.

dbit wrote: »

I have no doubt about Eir running fiber to the to the boonies , recently while on a sunday outing to Inchigeelagh, Co. Cork, I spotted more fiber runs on poles - these places have a very small population and the road takes some inclines and turns that would terrify a mountain goat. They are doing it and i do believe they are the only ones to really offer FTTH for rural for the future . Comless Eir. Irish Eir .........

Complete newb question but, Do they run the fibre cable along the existing electricity cables?

3 week consultation - http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Pages/Consultation/Consultation-on-the-process-for-updating-the-High-Speed-Broadband-Map-–-preduring-and-post-procurement.aspx

Press release - http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/news-and-media/en-ie/Pages/PressRelease/Department-of-Communications-consults-on-management-of-its-high-speed-broadband-map.aspx

etenders Prior Information Notice (PIN)
https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=85735&B=&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders
https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/175135

http://www.imagine.ie/fibreconnect/
Imagine called me yesterday. They said the network in the Kilteel / Rathmore area should be live with a week or two. No usage limits but he said maybe a 300 or 400GB usage policy(it didn't sound like he had official numbers.)

I won't be joining because I still have 2 or 3 months left on my mobile broadband contract with Three.

ACLFC7 wrote: »

http://www.imagine.ie/fibreconnect/
Imagine called me yesterday. They said the network in the Kilteel / Rathmore area should be live with a week or two. No usage limits but he said maybe a 300 or 400GB usage policy(it didn't sound like he had official numbers.)

I won't be joining because I still have 2 or 3 months left on my mobile broadband contract with Three.

I wonder what there connecting ratio will be look like there increasing there footprint now with cork I guess there worry about eir FTTH rural rollout.

It funny they say fibre but don't give out any info on what technology there using 300Gb to 400Gb believe it when I see it in writing on there website.

Did they give you a price what it be and the speeds that you likely get?.

To be fair, I'm impressed by how the DCENR are dealing with the NBP this time round. Hopefully it continues that way.

ED E wrote: »

Election is only round the corner, just wait and see.

well hopefully the contract are sign and bid or bidders choose doh doesn't really matter who get in they still have do the NBP.

ED E wrote: »

Not if the Dept of Finance just cuts the funding.

well don't think they would since it already cut in half.The new goverment would just piss people off that already have being living with cuts in everything.

KOR101 wrote: »

No, contracts to be signed mid 2016, so that's after the election.

Oh ok but still don't think the new goverment would mess with NBP since most the work done for them they be mad if they did.

BandMember wrote: »

If a new Government can find (read: take) money from some long term project that they may not be in office to see completed and put it into some short term popularity stunt, they will do it in a heartbeat - no matter what party they are from! Don't kid yourself otherwise.....

Now, rant over and back on topic. :cool:

well I see what your saying but there all the same but either way it has to be done there good chance the NBP could be a failure which is a shame.

dbit wrote: »

New Gov , Old Gov they are of the same thing , nothing will be done and we are all sitting here expecting nothing more or nothing less . Such faith we have in those we elect . Similar the level of faith we have in this project . B4rn styled projects would see this done in a quater of the time our profound leaders could accomplish it .

Have you read the documents about the process for updating the map.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Pages/Consultation/Consultation-on-the-process-for-updating-the-High-Speed-Broadband-Map-%E2%80%93-preduring-and-post-procurement.aspx#

I'm really impressed by the rigour of their approach. From the annexes....







I'm surprised their hasn't been more comment on this.

For example, "1.4 Does the solution rely on optical (or equivalent)
technology?" This appears to be a prerequisite! Elsewhere they do say that if a proposal requires more spectrum, the fact that it has not yet been acquired will not count against the proposal. Not sure what this means. Does Eir use radio spectrum for example to bridge the gap to Sneem and then lay fibre to cabinets in Sneem?

Siena Gigantic Backyard wrote: »

clohamon has posted here about the responses to the DCENR July consultations. Reading Imagine's response to the Technical part is indicative of their intentions.

I can see all this ending up in the courts for review..