Comments for Simon's Blog (the official one)

Comment on Broadband must be recognised as an essential service by cristina aquinta

cristina aquinta — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:31:44 +0000

hi, cool web site and good articles.
The The first step is to learn how to find out what your Internet speed is.The Internet speed is determined by 2 components: the download rate and the upload rate of data which are usually measured in Kilobits per second.
Then after you know the upload and download rate, you can use tools or tweaks to improve your internet speed, or take the decision to change your ISP.

Comment on Broadband must be recognised as an essential service by GuyJ

GuyJ — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:51:33 +0000

Hi Simon,

certainly the fibre to the home (FtttH) endgame needs engineering, both technically and politically, to ensure that USO is guaranteed - the alternative is a deeper digital divide than currently exists with 1st generation broadband, as evidenced by your sister’s predicament.

I founded http://www.neoeon.com back in 2003 to address rural digital exclusion in East Yorkshire

- it is a testament to the failure of ADSL to deliver any semblance of broadband USO that today, some 3 years since BT announced that service was available at every exchange in the country, Neoeon continues to provide broadband service for hundreds of rural residents and businesses who otherwise have no reasonably priced alternative available, not even via the much hyped 3G mobile broadband dongle.

(of course, broadband has in a sense been universally available for years already, if you have deep enough pockets to install and lease a dedicated fibre feed, however the whole point of any USO is accessibility which means affordability surely)

The first wave of community broadband networks discovered that they could create their own independent local broadband infrastructures using wireless innovation;

I’m convinced there is a fantastic opportunity today for those same communities, and any other that so desires, to choose the path of local FttH infrastructure, ideally mutually owned and perhaps guided by a commercial partner for an initial term that encompasses the design, build and operation of the resultant local access network.

When you think about it - who needs BT when you can DIY?

Comment on State of the Countryside 2008 (and broadband) by Simon

Simon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:51:52 +0000

Since the blog item above, the BBC and Sam Knows have both published articles on DIY super-fast, fibre-based broadband

23/7/08
BBC - DIY schemes for super-fast net
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7520240.stm

26/7/08
Sam Knows - Roll your own fibre?
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/news/roll-your-own-fibre-410.html

Comment on Show us a better way II by Simon

Simon — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:14:32 +0000

This idea has now been published on the ‘Show Us A Better Way’ website here:
http://www.showusabetterway.co.uk/call/2008/07/neighbourhood-w.html

Please comment there.

Thanks

Simon

Comment on State of the Countryside 2008 (and broadband) by Eamun Sure

Eamun Sure — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:24:22 +0000

“UK’s largest ever investment in Super-Fast Broadband‘.

Whoopy do to hear this - however we on the outskirts won’t be holding our breath - BT exchanges only provide broadband services to our region in 2005 and envn now checking the connection with the speedtest tools it remains pathetically slow

Comment on Show Us A Better Way - The Widget Factory by Simon

Simon — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:30:39 +0000

Thanks Steph. This prompts another couple of thoughts:

1) Another feature the JustGiving widget has is a ’share this’ option that enables people seeing the widget to take it and place it on their own website;

2) The other things widgets are good for is for reaching ‘narrow’ audiences as opposed to ‘wide’ audiences ie not taking the whole service but a filtering the service down to meet the needs of a specific group in a specific place. For example, not all the crime statistics but just those that are relevant to you.

Simon

Comment on Show Us A Better Way - The Widget Factory by Steph Gray

Steph Gray — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:50:10 +0000

I think it’s a good approach, Simon.

Certainly, whenever there’s a programme developed which wants to reach a wide audience online and has the right kind of call to action, I think this should be seen as part of the core comms activity.

Could I shamelessly plug the widgetised approach to consultation we’ve taken for the Science and Society consultation launched last week?

http://interactive.dius.gov.uk/scienceandsociety/share

Comment on Rural Broadband - Is BT good for rural communities? by Simon's Blog (the official one) » The trouble with rural broadband

Simon's Blog (the official one) » The trouble with rural broadband — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:13:16 +0000

[...] I have written about rural broad band before here: my 2004 posting. [...]

Comment on Rural Broadband - Is BT good for rural communities? by Simon's Blog (the official one) » Rural broadband – lies, damn lies and statistics

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:50:48 +0000

[...] Friday, April 30th, 2004 Rural Broadband - Is BT good for rural communities? [...]

Comment on Rural Broadband - Is BT good for rural communities? by Simon's Blog (the official one) » State of the Countryside 2008 (and broadband)

Simon's Blog (the official one) » State of the Countryside 2008 (and broadband) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:50:06 +0000

[...] But we have been here before. In 2002 ruralnet|uk and the Phone Co-op were the joint founders of the ‘Community Broadband Network‘ (CBN) this joined up amazing, community-led initiatives that were taking a DIY approach to internet access. This community action was triggered by the statement from BT at the time that they were not going to upgrade many exchanges in rural areas. CBN was growing fast and was not only providing a broadband service in their communities but also triggering all sorts of other community activity . . . shelters for young people, local history projects, community websites, community TV and so on. [...]