Tuesday, March 4, 2008

North Country broad band

Union leader has an article here. Reporter[s] have little grasp of the real situation. The population density is low up here. The TV cable companies demand 15 households per mile before they will string a cable. It takes 15 cable bill payers to pay for a mile of cable. Here in Franconia we only have cable right close in to the center of town (Bob's Mobil station) and in Mittersill where there are 200 ski chalets in a tight cluster around the Mittersill Inn. DSL only reaches out 18000 feet from the telephone central office. Anyone farther away is out of luck.
For TV we have satellite. Those of us enjoying the rural life, far out from town, can get TV from satellite, so the incentive to run cable out that far is pretty much gone.
For broadband, the only thing that makes sense is wireless. A single tower can serve everyone for a 5-10 mile radius. The cost of that single tower is way way less than stringing cable all over the same area. There is a trial wireless operation starting up on Burke Mountain, and that is the way to go, not pounding on Comcast and TimeWarner and Fairpoint to run more wire.
Broadband has the potential to bring companies into the North Country. A lot of people, stuck commuting on Rt128 would love to settle down in the North Country to enjoy the skiing, the rural lifestyle, the mountains and woods. Any company operating up here can attract a wonderful staff of people who like being in NH. Broadband is essential to any kind of business now a days. If we build it they will come.

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