[Cialug] wireless communities in Iowa?

[Dave J. Hala Jr.]

I think the issue isn't about the ICN connectivity.   Qwest may not want
a competitor, and the ICN and school folks don't want any more work.
Sounds like Qwest is using the bureaucracy to kill the project.

Since getting access to the school stuff on the ICN via a broadband
connection is the "killer app" that is driving this project, maybe you
could change the focus of your approach. Down play the 21st century
initiatives. 

Maybe you could focus on a privately funded mesh network with a low
entry cost. From a business perspective having CPE cost of only $50,
thats "customer funded" is awesome. If you could push just broadband at
a low cost, then say oh btw, in the future the broadband network is the
first step toward achieving this goal...

I'm wondering if you have the mesh network running and privately funded
if you could then create some of "conduit" from the mesh network to the
ICN for the purpose of allowing the kids access. If you have a large of
customer be of households with school children, you could leverage them
to push for access. Its not an unreasonable request.

If the infrastructure is already in place, now your argument becomes
about access and not "building infrastructure".  You've eliminated qwest
and the city from your negotiations and now your working directly ICN. 

Anyway, just a couple of loose thoughts...


:) Dave




On Sat, 2007-10-13 at 09:44 -0500, Tom Pohl wrote:
> On Oct 13, 2007, at 8:27 AM, Tom Poe wrote:
> > Todd:  I'd like to agree with you, that noone, especially our city  
> > leaders in Charles City, wants a second-rate education for our  
> > children.  So, I reread the letter from the city mayor's office  
> > stating the city's position on citizen initiatives for a "last mile  
> > solution" for our kids.  Unfortunately, that is their position.  I  
> > also reviewed email exchanges with the city leaders and Joseph  
> > Cassis, deputy director of the ICN.  Unfortunately, noone  
> > demonstrates an interest in exploring options for an affordable  
> > "last mile solution" for our kids, let alone affordable options  
> > that might be applied across all of Iowa's rural communities.
> >
> > I want to personally thank you for your offer to contribute to a  
> > legal defense fund, in the event the encumbents sue.  I contacted a  
> > lawyer several months ago, and received confirmation that he'll  
> > handle the fund when such action becomes appropriate.  We agreed  
> > that any legal action should not have to occur, if we continue to  
> > act reasonably and slowly. Tom
> 
> I thought it was a matter of Iowa law that states who and how people  
> can access the ICN's resources.  If you were to provide community  
> access using an ICN connection to the general community, I think  
> you'd be breaking state law and the ICN would probably risk losing  
> their common carrier status, but I don't really know anything :)
> 
> This link provides at least an interesting read:
> http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl? 
> court=DC&navby=case&no=991149A
> 
> -Tom
> 
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