Just a few wireless BB ??

uncle_sam_ie

There is a wireless provider( County Broadband) setting up in the next couple of weeks in Kildorrery County Cork. I'm living about five miles from there and have a very clear line of site to the tower in the village. I have just a few questions,

Is the tower owned by €ircon and would they be allowed to use it?
What do the transmitters look like that they would be fitting to the tower?
How actually does this all work? Is the signal beamed from a tower that has a cable back-hall to Kildorrery then on to the customer?

Thanks, Andrew

uncle_sam_ie

anyone!

Sponge Bob

uncle_sam_ie wrote:

Is the tower owned by €ircon and would they be allowed to use it?
What do the transmitters look like that they would be fitting to the tower?
How actually does this all work? Is the signal beamed from a tower that has a cable back-hall to Kildorrery then on to the customer?

The tower may be and maybe yes (if they pay enough)
Mini mobile phone cell sectors usually .
maybe wireless backhaul and wireless fronthaul (fronthaul is out to you)

Go to village and ask who owns tower, its the easiest way.

wexfordman

There are two towers in Kildorrery, one (the smaller one is garda), and the other (in excess of 36m), belongs to Eircom.

Co Location with Eircom as far as I know, is pricey and may be a drawn out process, so depending on who your provider is, they may or may not go for this. There are a couple of masts north of you in Mitchelstown, which might be used either or, possibly your provider could be using something easier and cheaper, like a high building, the water tower in kildorrery etc. The plus, is Kildorrery is quite high regards elevation so there are loads of options available, even if cost excludes locating on some of the existing masts.

Antenna equipmetn on the mast/structure can be a lot smaller than typical mobile phone stuff, could even be a small omni antenna for your local node to cpe link, and a dish resembling a "sattelite" antenna for the backhaul.

Is this part of a GBS ? You could always ask the provider, they are often more than happy to discuss locations etc, as they tend to get more of a positive reaction to thier masts/antenna and quite often get site offers etc as a result of queries.

Wexfordman

uncle_sam_ie

Thanks for the info guys,


I'm ten miles from Michelstown. Isn't that too far for wireless? I'm praying that it is the big tower in Kilorrery, because I have a beautiful line of site to it from my house. If not ,it's going to be tricky. Yes, this is the GBS and the provider is County Broadband. They don't have a web site as such yet (http://www.computronics.ie/broadband.html) , but the guy I contacted is Philip Curneen. I have e-mailed him a few times and he has responded, but I get the feeling he has been massively inundated with people wanting more info. Because of this, I've been reluctant bother him with another e-mail. This is last e-mail he sent me a couple of weeks ago

To all,

Dated 9th January 2006.

In reply to requests for an update on broadband for your area , the
following is it's present status.

I sent a project timeline plan to Billy Sheehan of SWRA before Christmas .
Part of the project timeline given to SWRA shows network test and launch in
the period late January to Mid February 2006. A major delay on this is by
the state company 'Coillte Forrestry'. I had meetings last year with them to
use their sites. They have agreed , but there is some administrative work on
their part to be completed. This , they have promised me , is being done.
I'm meeting with them directly this week.

I can appreciate the apprehension that exists but can only say that all
efforts are being made to get the broadband services to your area during the
target period given above.

Kind Regards and happy New Year.

Philip Curneen
County Broadband Systems

wexfordman

Was Kildorrery part of the GBS scheme ? He would probalby be doing a larger area than just Kildorrery, and Mitchelstown might not have qualified for GBS if it already had DSL for example and had pop>1500. The coillte thing looks like he is trying to use coillte land, which sounds like the location North of Mitchelstown, but this is probably for Backhaul as much as anything else. My guess is he has one or to key sites for the area, and the coillte one is of backhaul also. Only way to find out is ask him, I doubt he will mind. Or ask one of the people who initiated the GBS for the area!!

When was this awarded if you dont mind me asking, ours was awarded in the last phase, and I am not sure of what the timelines/deadlines were, but we are still waiting, and have not really been given any reason for delays.
Wexfordman

uncle_sam_ie

It was awarded around Oct, Nov last year. Here is a link to the areas that were awarded and the areas that County Broadband have, http://www.swra.ie/broadbandlist.htm How does back-haul work exactly? Dose it go from an optical base station then through a chain of towers then on to me?

Andrew

Sponge Bob

uncle_sam_ie wrote:

Does it go from an optical base station then through a chain of towers then on to me?

Spot on .

uncle_sam_ie

How far do the towers have to be from each other?

Sponge Bob

As far as 30km with licenced gear . for unlicenced gear it would be less were one compliant .

A GBS will not supply the customer with licenced gear though it would be backhaul if present !

watty

About 5km to 8km is pushing it with compliant "pre licenced" gear, (i.e. CE marketed).

"unlicenced" is a bit misleading, though I know what is meant.

Seriously "unlicensed" in sense of illegal, 30km no problem