From: Bob van der Poel [mailto:bvdp@uniserve.com]
Sent: April 22, 2004 10:45 AM
To: cmon@cmon.ca
Subject: Premier's announcment and my community
Hi. I live in Wynndel and am wondering what the
possible effect of the permier's announcment will be here. I've spend
hours talking to telus and from what I understand high speed is just a
'black box' away for us... but telus doesn't want to spend the money to
install it. So, the business of the 11 access points probably doesn't
have any effect here.
I may be misssing something (besides broadband!).
So, what do we need to do in Wynndel to get the ball moving?
========================
From: Jeff Roberts [mailto:jroberts@cmon.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 10:01 AM
To: bvdp@uniserve.com
Subject: re: Premier's announcment and my community
Hi Bob
Thanks for your email.
The Premier's announcement is potentially good news for Wynndel. As a
result of this announcement CMON has access to a network backbone in
Creston. This means that if the local or regional community wanted to build
a community network we would be able to help by providing the all important
connection to the Internet and the rest of the world. Without this access in
Creston your community would have to wait until we were able to build a
backbone from either Cranbrook or the West Kootenays in order to connect
your network.
So this is good news.
The challenge is now to get a community network project going in Wynndel.
CMON has been working with the Regional District on developing plans for the
a number of areas including Area A and Wynndell. The next step is for the
Regional District to decide to proceed with a community network project. You
can help by contacting your Regional district representative and indicating
your support for a community network project. You can also get involved by
joining a community working group for your area. When you are talking to the
Area director ask about the community working group. In general the more
enthusiastic supporters on the working group the better.
Hope this helps.
Jeff
Jeff Roberts
CEO
Columbia Mountain Open Network Inc.
Office 250.365.1115 local 224
Fax 250.365.1165
Cell 250.365.1672
www.cmon.ca
=========================================
[[[[[[[[[[ Clarification. Originally I said that CMON
were not answering email I sent. Seems that
my message was lost and once I posted this
complaint on my website Jeff Roberts responded.
Sorry! ]]]]]]]]]]]
===========================================
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 13:36:27 -0700
From: Bob van der Poel
To: jroberts@cmon.ca
Subject: Re: FW: re: Premier's announcment and my community
Jeff Roberts wrote:
> Bob
>
> Your website says the nice but overpaid people at CMON did not answer
> your email . Here's a response I sent you last April.
>
> Jeff Roberts
>
Yes, so you did. Sorry, forgot about that. But, I also sent email
earlier this month (and I'm sorry but I did have a HD crash and have
lost the copy). In that mail (sent to cmon@com.ca from the web site) I
requested help from you in setting up a committee/community inititive.
There was no response to this. I'd heard that there were ceo changes
being made at cmon, so figured it was just lost, etc. Sorry, but I
should have followed up ... but with the black hole of communications
this quest is I figured it'd be a waste.
You say in your earlier message that you are working with the RDCK. I
have spoken to Tom Mann (Director) and Bob Gollan (alt. director).
Neither know anything about your inititive. Really.
I would start a working group, but before we start to have meetings
which at this point would involve not much more than drinking coffee we
would have to have more info. Things like: what are possible "last mile"
alternatives; what are the financing possibilities; I could go on. So,
the question, again, becomes: does CMON have a system to help us in
getting started?
I'll update my web site to reflect the earlier mail. Thanks for taking
time to respond. Also, mind telling me who forwarded the web site info
to you ... I'm always interesting in finding out how squeaky wheels get
greased, etc. :) Thanks.
================================
From: "Jeff Roberts"
To: "'Bob van der Poel'"
Subject: RE: FW: re: Premier's announcment and my community
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 14:17:48 -0700
Bob
You may be correct with respect to the RDCK. We were working with the Area A
director on the BRAND business plan. Area A is called Wyndell/East Shore so
I assumed that Verna Myers-Macknezie was your area representative.
We have spoken in the past with the Area B and C directors and they have
indicated they have no interest in what CMON is doing. I don't know if it
was Tom Mann or his predecsessor that we spoke to. However, CMON was
discussed at a number of RDCK meetings so Director Mann should be aware of
what CMON is doing.
FYI CMON works on the principle of membership. It costs $4.00 per capita to
become a member of CMON. To date we have 30 local governments that have paid
this amount and those are the communities with which we work. We try to help
out those who are in the region but are not members but we are pretty
limited in what we can do. We have to focus on the paid-up members.
If Wynndel wanted to join it is possible to establish a telecommunications
service area via the RDCK or simply set up a society and become a member.
Funding may be available from the RDCK to set up the society and pay the
fee.
In terms of your best bets for a network you have 4 or 5 main options.
1.Build an unlicenced wireles network
2.Build an licenced wireles network
3.Build a DSL network
4. Build a fibre to the user (FTTU) network
5. Wait for the private sector
Costs vary all over the place depending on the topography or your area, the
condition of the existing infrastructure, the availability of existing
towers or high points, the cooperation of the local telephone company and
power company and the availability of a backbone connection.
Wynndel is fortunate to have a backbone connection available. For about
$750/month you can have a connection to run your network with. This is one
of only 3 or 4 such connections in the Columbia Basin. Most places pay $1650
to $6000 per month.
Costwise budgetary numbers for each of the above options are:
1. $10,000 plus $300 to $500 per user (assumes relatively flat terrain like
you have and an available tower or high building)
2. $20,000 plus $1500 per user (same assumption)
3. DSL $50,000 plus $200 per user ( and a lot of cooperation from TELUS)
4. $2500 to $3500 per user all in
Don't know how your email got lost. Sorry about that. CEO is still here. We
have had a change of Chairman last March.
HTH
Jeff