Referencing posting on beaverislandnews.com for a reasonable representation of the county wide plan from CCC.
CCC is creating a specific plan just for Beaver Island that will address a wide range of possible features and address some of the unique challenges associated with Beaver island.
Thank you for posting our overall presentation and reasons for addressing this issue.
We ask that everyone contact their county officials and local officials for support of this plan and the forth coming plan for specifically beaver island.
Note: This is a very enjoyable forum with a wide variety of topic and issues being addressed
Should public money be used to expand services on the Island
Moderator: Gillespie
Please email me a copy of the PDF if it's ok to post a link on this thread as well. jcashman@islanddesign.com Thanks.If here was place to attach a PDF CCC woudl do so since it is public information.
Pdfs on web
I have all of the documents on a link from my homepage, Jeff.
There are 22 pages of documents in all. They can be viewed by anyone whether a subscriber or not at http://beaverislandnews.com Click on the CCC Proposal link.
There are 22 pages of documents in all. They can be viewed by anyone whether a subscriber or not at http://beaverislandnews.com Click on the CCC Proposal link.
As a reminder:: The most significant aspect of the model provided for Charlevoix County is that it is a template or platform that can be duplicated throughout the 21 county regional focus of CCC.
With this type of platform in place the 21 county region would be interconnected with county wide WIFI access.
Using a WIFI phone or WIFI laptop or WIFI enabled hand held consumers would finally have real options in mobile flexibility and cost effect fixed point high speed networking services throughout our region.
CCC appreciates BI reviewing the plan and encouraging our county leaders to consider the positive impact this plan will make on our local economy.
With this type of platform in place the 21 county region would be interconnected with county wide WIFI access.
Using a WIFI phone or WIFI laptop or WIFI enabled hand held consumers would finally have real options in mobile flexibility and cost effect fixed point high speed networking services throughout our region.
CCC appreciates BI reviewing the plan and encouraging our county leaders to consider the positive impact this plan will make on our local economy.
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Dan Wardlow
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:37 pm
perhaps a different spin on this question ...
With islanders having been burned once before by a wireless provider who made promises he couldn't keep, I think the townships need to go beyond studying the technical issues of whether or not a company's plan might work to studying the quality of service and customer satisfaction that company might bring to us.
I am someone who is interested in changing high speed internet service providers and because we live near a proposed tower, I've been considering the CCC service instead of TDS DSL. But after a conversation with my brother yesterday in Charlevoix, I'm rethinking that. He has CCC internet service at his home and says it's unreliable and slow. He'd been a Charlevoix Wireless customer for years before CCC bought that system. He was happy with the service until CCC started changing things.
When he called for help, they told him that there wasn't anything they could do aside from him buying $250 worth of new equipment and paying a service fee for their tech guy to come out and install it. When he reminded them that they bought the Charlevoix Wireless service and he was a customer, they gave him some mumbo-jumbo about not buying the company but instead "acquiring the assets" as if that somehow explained why they couldn't help him. If a long-time customer isn't an asset to be acquired, I don't know what an asset is!
So my brother is thinking of switching to WildBlue satellite service, and was eager to learn about our experience ... which has been very good (if pricey).
I am someone who is interested in changing high speed internet service providers and because we live near a proposed tower, I've been considering the CCC service instead of TDS DSL. But after a conversation with my brother yesterday in Charlevoix, I'm rethinking that. He has CCC internet service at his home and says it's unreliable and slow. He'd been a Charlevoix Wireless customer for years before CCC bought that system. He was happy with the service until CCC started changing things.
When he called for help, they told him that there wasn't anything they could do aside from him buying $250 worth of new equipment and paying a service fee for their tech guy to come out and install it. When he reminded them that they bought the Charlevoix Wireless service and he was a customer, they gave him some mumbo-jumbo about not buying the company but instead "acquiring the assets" as if that somehow explained why they couldn't help him. If a long-time customer isn't an asset to be acquired, I don't know what an asset is!
So my brother is thinking of switching to WildBlue satellite service, and was eager to learn about our experience ... which has been very good (if pricey).
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Stephen C. West
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:17 am
My forty years of business experience tells me that nearly always two or more businesses competing for our business results is the lowest price and the best service.
It is likely that this time next year that will be the case on Beaver Island. I suspect TDS Telecom and Cherry Cap will be doing their best to earn your business.
It is interesting to note that TDS recently raised Island DSL prices â?? and that their prices vary a lot by market served. In short they get as much as they can. Competition will change that.
Perhaps by summer 2010 we could see a high speed price war.
It is likely that this time next year that will be the case on Beaver Island. I suspect TDS Telecom and Cherry Cap will be doing their best to earn your business.
It is interesting to note that TDS recently raised Island DSL prices â?? and that their prices vary a lot by market served. In short they get as much as they can. Competition will change that.
Perhaps by summer 2010 we could see a high speed price war.
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Dan Wardlow
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:37 pm
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Stephen C. West
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:17 am
What makes you think your elected officials have not investigated?Dan Wardlow wrote:Gosh, sorry to have questioned the expenditure of public funds without a thorough investigation of the business partners! I mistakenly thought the topic of this thread was "should public money be used to expand services on the island?"
Keep lookin Dan - you will no doubt find some evil to blame - perhaps some more bumper stickers are in order?
Two key points of the application in my view that were discussed at the meetings were:
1.) The Beaver Island Internet Authority (or the joint Township entity that is the applicant for stimulus grant) will actually own the equipment and then contract with CCC to provide service.
2.) The use of the towers is non-exclusive
The details might still make it a bit of a rough road if something catastrophic happened to CCC (e.g. finding another provider who would provide good service here and could work with the equipment in place and any and all special tweaks that were in place to meet real-world conditions) but there has been thought at the meetings in terms of being structured from the onset for the unexpected.
I do find it quite interesting to hear indirectly from an unsatisifed CCC user -- I know people were searching for customers within the CCC service areas to talk with for the last month or so. Put your brother in touch with Jack; I know he's busy but added perspective is always good. I know one mention was made at the meeting that when CCC bought Charlevoix wireless they decided to support the preexisting equipment until it failed, but then if equipment failed, they would require an upgrade to their current equipment. I don't know any details of the acquisition, what equipment was in place, what warranty or contract existing customers had, etc. so I can't even speculate on the fairness of this. Coming from an urban perspective where multiple deep-pocket providers are fighting for customers in a high density area, I would have different expectations. However, having been online here now for 9 years on the Island and only for 6 years on the mainland, I sympathize more with the tight-margin rural provider where profit is narrow and unique circumstances many. With that said, at the second meeting last month there was discussion on structuring this project so service rates take into account both the initial equipment or a portion thereof and also future upgrades. As of last week I don't think details were finalized, but there is definitely awareness and thought going into how this will be framed in terms of investment and monthy fees.
1.) The Beaver Island Internet Authority (or the joint Township entity that is the applicant for stimulus grant) will actually own the equipment and then contract with CCC to provide service.
2.) The use of the towers is non-exclusive
The details might still make it a bit of a rough road if something catastrophic happened to CCC (e.g. finding another provider who would provide good service here and could work with the equipment in place and any and all special tweaks that were in place to meet real-world conditions) but there has been thought at the meetings in terms of being structured from the onset for the unexpected.
I do find it quite interesting to hear indirectly from an unsatisifed CCC user -- I know people were searching for customers within the CCC service areas to talk with for the last month or so. Put your brother in touch with Jack; I know he's busy but added perspective is always good. I know one mention was made at the meeting that when CCC bought Charlevoix wireless they decided to support the preexisting equipment until it failed, but then if equipment failed, they would require an upgrade to their current equipment. I don't know any details of the acquisition, what equipment was in place, what warranty or contract existing customers had, etc. so I can't even speculate on the fairness of this. Coming from an urban perspective where multiple deep-pocket providers are fighting for customers in a high density area, I would have different expectations. However, having been online here now for 9 years on the Island and only for 6 years on the mainland, I sympathize more with the tight-margin rural provider where profit is narrow and unique circumstances many. With that said, at the second meeting last month there was discussion on structuring this project so service rates take into account both the initial equipment or a portion thereof and also future upgrades. As of last week I don't think details were finalized, but there is definitely awareness and thought going into how this will be framed in terms of investment and monthy fees.
Here it's slightly worse than when you were with Wildblue:Gillespie wrote:Dan, Are you on Wild Blue? I was on satellite probably 6 years ago until something else came along. Has the latency improved?
ping -w 5000 -n 10 google
Pinging google.com [74.125.127.100] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1843ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1457ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1314ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1276ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1219ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1411ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1273ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1406ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1310ms TTL=45
Reply from 74.125.127.100: bytes=32 time=1315ms TTL=45
Ping statistics for 74.125.127.100:
Packets: Sent = 10, Received = 10, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1219ms, Maximum = 1843ms, Average = 1382ms
(I haven't asked for an SVT though to see if anything could be tweaked.)
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Stephen C. West
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:17 am
"Two key points of the application in my view that were discussed at the meetings were:
1.) The Beaver Island Internet Authority (or the joint Township entity that is the applicant for stimulus grant) will actually own the equipment and then contract with CCC to provide service.
2.) The use of the towers is non-exclusive "
Well put Jeff !!!!
May I add - (3) nearly always two or more businesses competing for our business results is the lowest price and the best service.
That is a likely outcome.
1.) The Beaver Island Internet Authority (or the joint Township entity that is the applicant for stimulus grant) will actually own the equipment and then contract with CCC to provide service.
2.) The use of the towers is non-exclusive "
Well put Jeff !!!!
May I add - (3) nearly always two or more businesses competing for our business results is the lowest price and the best service.
That is a likely outcome.
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Stephen C. West
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:17 am
Over 28 billion in stimulus requests submitted for public support of broadband initiatives. Only 2.4 billion available this round 1
In Michigan very few actually address the last mile delivery. Beaver Island was one of only a few that did address this issue.
Congrates to Beaver Island and the leaderships vision to meeting the digital divide problem
In Michigan very few actually address the last mile delivery. Beaver Island was one of only a few that did address this issue.
Congrates to Beaver Island and the leaderships vision to meeting the digital divide problem
[quote="Nich"]"Island wide WIFI provides
Fixed Point Wireless at speeds that exceed DSL capabilities
On Demand Hotspots so you can get online anywhere
This statement I HAVE to doubt, if this is what CCC is offering. CCC doesn't even know where my home is. Something tells me that the use of "Island Wide" is a misnomer and untrue. There are only 3 towers on the island and one is not in my backyard. If I see public funds used, I want to KNOW that this service is truly "Island wide".
Kathy
Fixed Point Wireless at speeds that exceed DSL capabilities
On Demand Hotspots so you can get online anywhere
This statement I HAVE to doubt, if this is what CCC is offering. CCC doesn't even know where my home is. Something tells me that the use of "Island Wide" is a misnomer and untrue. There are only 3 towers on the island and one is not in my backyard. If I see public funds used, I want to KNOW that this service is truly "Island wide".
Kathy