| To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (30426) | 7/1/2009 2:07:40 PM | | From: Frank A. Coluccio | | | | Hi JXM.
re: This message is being posted from 3.6 miles underground in a coal mine south of Charleston, West Virginia. Total number of hops from this point is 23. 18 of the hops are underground."
Now "THAT'S" what I'm talking about!! Good show!
Be sure to say hello from us all on the nFCTF to Professor Lidenbrock while you're down there, ya'hear? BTW, how is your voice quality on outside calls from such a perch.. err, depth, as it were? Come back... and stay safe!
73s, FAC
------ |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| From: ftth | 7/1/2009 4:39:39 PM | | | | | | Details of the broadband stimulus funding requirements, just released:
broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov
Definition of broadband, unserved, and underserved starts at p102.
People will no doubt complain, but in light of the data they have to work with, and that they have to use that data to confirm applicant claims of what they are targeting and why, the definitions they chose are not unreasonable. |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (3) |
|
| To: ftth who wrote (30429) | 7/1/2009 4:46:39 PM | | From: Frank A. Coluccio | | | | Hm. At least in that last section of the notice that I just read (your referenced page), someone seems to be confused over the difference between the stated "technology-neutral" and the unstated "politically-neutral". But that's show biz.
2590 Through this NOFA, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and
2591 Information has found it to be in the public interest to permit for-profit corporations and non
2592 profit entities (not otherwise encompassed by section 6001(e)(1)(A)) that are willing to promote
2593 the goals of the Recovery Act and comply with the statutory requirements of BTOP to be eligible
2594 for a grant. By adopting this broad approach, the Assistant Secretary intends to invite a diverse
2595 group of applicants to participate in BTOP, which reflects his desire to expand broadband
2596 capabilities in the United States in a technology-neutral manner.
Unless, of course, in the unlikely case, which would actually make a lot of sense, that the intent behind this clause actually took into account that there would be a marked difference in a goodly number of technological approaches that many non-profits would pursue by generally seeking to implement straightforward solutions for 'connectivity' as opposed to productized, triple-play 'broadband' in a vertical stack.
Do you suppose? I don't. Instead, I think the wording was crafted to be politically-correct by omitting, ironically, the use of the modifier "politically-", but what do I know. In fairness, however, the diversity is good lest the agencies involved be cited for being guilty of attempting to shape the market with bents that are one way or the other. We certainly wouldn't want to see any precedents like that established, now. Would we.
------ |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (30430) | 7/1/2009 5:34:14 PM | | From: Frank A. Coluccio | | | | Sweden's Open Network Pioneer
By Jennifer L. Schenker | Spiegel Online | 06/10/2008
[ this item reads like a corollary to my two trailer paragraphs in #msg-25753180 ]
ViaEuropa Chairman Jonas Birgersson says his open model offers consumers low prices and freedom of choice -- and it could work in the US. US telephone companies Verizon Communications and AT&T have convinced regulators that closed networks are not only acceptable but essential. The telecom giants want to build quick new fiber systems to deliver high-speed Internet and entertainment services into US homes. But the only way to justify the billions in cost, they argue, is if rivals are prevented from having equal access to the network and offering competing media services over the same pipes. If that is the case, asks Internet entrepreneur Jonas Birgersson, why is it Swedish carriers can offer consumers much higher speeds than those available in the US, for similar or lower prices -- even though multiple operators share the same fiber network?
Cont.: spiegel.de
Here's a snippet from the article above (and a late edit on my part), the significance of which cannot be overstated with respect to enabling real-time choice:
"ViaEuropa assumes the job (from cities) of renting out capacity to multiple Internet service providers who compete to offer services to consumers. Making the deal even more enticing, ViaEuropa employs technology from a separate Birgersson company called Labs2 that lets consumers switch from one service provider to another literally at the click of a button. Such freedom of choice means a larger selection of services available to customers and more competition among providers."
It's a capability that I've likened in the past to 1+ dialaround access to myriad service providers in the voice domain. No one with whom I've discussed this has yet to acknowledge it's feasibility, much less its merit or applicability in the North American cybertheater. And I talk with lots of brilliant 'Net folks, to be sure. What was that I was saying last week in #msg-25745166 about waiting to see what the next big thing would be from abroad? I'm still cogitating a clarification for some of that message, btw, although with the passage of time the urgency to do so seems less severe.
------ |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (30428) | 7/1/2009 5:55:58 PM | | From: Jorj X Mckie | | | | Professor Lidenbrock gives his best...and says "meet me in Iceland".
Voice quality is excellent. Most voice traffic is push-to-talk, but extension to extension and outside calls are also supported.
right now there are 70 nodes in the network, covering two sections of the mine (there are only two sections right now). A call from the working unit of one section to the working unit of the other section traverses 35 hops. So far, bandwidth utilization hasn't topped 15%. Pretty exciting stuff. |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (30432) | 7/1/2009 6:08:17 PM | | From: Frank A. Coluccio | | | | When you get a chance, and to the degree that you're permitted under the constraints you may be under relating to the disclosure of such information, I'd appreciate your providing here in the forum a high-order technical description and a list of the main protocol and signaling specifications that you're employing "down there". If you can't, for any reason at all, fully understood. TIA.
------ |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (30431) | 7/1/2009 6:22:51 PM | | From: ftth | | | | re: "...lets consumers switch from one service provider to another literally at the click of a button."
That was a central point in the fiber models we discussed here, what, 8 years ago?
As the CSNY song goes,
"Don't let the past
remind us of what we are not now"
;o)
[edit to add, hey that might be a good signature line for emails] |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Frank A. Coluccio | 7/1/2009 7:24:34 PM | | | | | | Exploring global energy demand
An interactive graphic examines the growth of global energy and petroleum demand based on scenarios accounting for GDP and other factors, including the potential reduction in demand through increased energy productivity.
JUNE 2009
Source: McKinsey Global Institute
mckinseyquarterly.com
------ |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (30111) | 7/1/2009 7:43:36 PM | | From: axial | | | | Frank, a bit of miscellany here...
Your response at Message 25748006
CIVIL TELECOMMUNICATIONS - ITS* MOBILIZATION AND CONTROL
led me to an old bookmark - Albert LaFrance's Cold War Comms.
groups.yahoo.com
A fascinating site. Albert has another: long-lines.net
---
However, one of the discussions at Cold War Comms led here:
thelede.blogs.nytimes.com
...and inquiries about RF interference (possibly fatally destructive to in-flight systems) from a US facility in Australia
led here:
hawkins.pair.com
---
Modern airframe construction has been the subject of many stories, in "print" and otherwise.
Following the Airbus story and the NYT blog about it, one aspect of advanced design and construction that's looking suspicious is performance of composites.
You may recall a fairly contentious debate here a while back, basically about delays with the new Airbus 380, and relative merits of Airbus vs. Boeing. Comparisons were made from different perspectives.
At present, both Airbus and Boeing have suffered significant delays in production of their latest-generation aircraft. The truth appears to be that new materials (especially composite delamination), and man-machine interaction in unforeseen circumstances are yielding unpredictable results. The point: manufacturer difficulties, recent accidents and parallel research suggest we're at the leading, bleeding edge of aircraft technology - and may be making some mistakes - despite claims to the contrary.
---
Also noteworthy: within the NYT blog comments are discussions about why real-time transmissions can't be used for flight data recording, instead of (or as an adjunct to) black boxes. It seems like a good question; even with voice, files wouldn't be that large.
Jim |
| | The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum | Stock Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (3) |
|
| |
