Project AirGig

September 26th, 2016 at 1:07:58 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569



AT&T has decided that it can build an Air Mesh where units mounted on telephone poles will be be able to transmit internet signals at multi gigabyte speeds.

I am not wonderstruck, as I see at least three problems. (1) is that the dangerous electrical wires are on the top of utility poles, and the safe telecommunication wires are on the bottom with a safe seperation (at least 30") between the two some communications technicians aren't electrocuted. Now it looks like they want to put equipment on the top of poles. (2) utility poles are not a prominent feature of the high end suburban neighborhoods with your wealthy clients. and (3) if you are going to put this in rural neighborhoods then it isn't clear how it's going to work if Bubba shoots out one of these units with his shotgun. It seems like it's like old style Christmas tree lights where you lose one node and the whole system goes down. I think you are better off with UAVs.

Am I being overly cynical?
September 26th, 2016 at 7:52:31 AM permalink
kenarman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 14
Posts: 4470
If they are just passing the signal from pole to pole then any one series of poles will have to share the band width among all the subscribers it serves. This means that the effective band width that is available will be much less than advertised.
"but if you make yourselves sheep, the wolves will eat you." Benjamin Franklin
September 26th, 2016 at 8:31:23 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Whoa now. The USA does not always separate neatly into Rural, suburban and urban.. things change over time also.

Think of the Techie Editor from San Francisco who got lost and snow bound in Oregon his friends and relatives reported him lost but with a total of five states that he could be in it was a gigantic search. He left a free way in Oregon to cross over into a rural area with an upscale resort and restaurant. However, no real internet service so his phone was useless and the battery soon dead. The road was unplowed. Areas such this can do with internet access... the upscale resort likes it, fire departments like it, etc. However they need rural looking, rugged equipment that does not attract the interests of bears or of target shooters. High bandwith is not needed as much as some bandwith to handle tourists, hotels, gas stations and park rangers.

These are usually Mesh networks with active nodes so that they are ultra fast in reacting to dropped out stations without loss of data. Its the military's favorite currently too.

Some internet or cellular equipment already look like palm trees, sculpture or ornaments. Some people are happy with a Pringles can antenna or a used wok.
September 26th, 2016 at 11:54:16 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569


Mesh networks for the home are incredibly expensive compared to simple wire. and switches which are often only $15 apiece.