Community Broadband likely to be a chorus.

Chorus: "A refrain in which others, such as audience members, join a soloist in a song."

With good community responses from Pukekawa, Ararimu and Glenbrook Beach, one or more Community Broadband Initiatives in the Franklin District looks very likely.  But a response by Telecom Chorus’s separated lines company  looks more likely.

The Pukekawa R&R group are setting up a sub-group to explore the issues and collect names of people likely to sign up for a new high speed broadband service.  For some in the Pukekawa community, a fibre-to-the-farm network is probable as Telecom Chorus’ swan song will be to upgrade their decayed copper cables with new fibre cables connecting to the existing fibre through the area.

The Ararimu group, centred on the Ararimu School, have already collected more than 30 names and expect to reach that 100-signature threshold at their Calf Club Day on September 25th, at which Rural Connect will have a display stand.  A community broadband initiative would likely be a fibre-to-the-home solution if they can tap in to one of the two Telecom fibre cables that are around 4km and 7km from the school.  However, if Telecom Chorus do come to play their overture at this party, then a fibre-to-the-node plus ADSL2+ over copper pairs for the last mile would be the likely solution.

The Glenbrook Beach R&R group jumped in to action very quickly and have been unique at using the community page on the Rural Connect website ( http://ruralconnect.org/GlenbrookBeach ) as a means of keeping residents in touch about developments.  Like Ararimu, a fibre-to-the-premises solution is likely, given the topography of this area and the presence of a Telecom fibre cable at the start of Glenbrook Beach Road.  But again, and as warned last week, if the government agrees to Telecom separating Chorus in to a new company, then Glenbrook Beach will probably have to settle for a solution that necessarily retains use of their copper network.  That is not the future-proofed fibre cable option that residents want.  

Another danger with Telecom Chorus belatedly coming to the party, is that those areas that presently do not have DSL broadband  because it has never been economic for Telecom to provide it, will likely remain last in the line for fibre to the node for the same reason. 

What would make the tune more melodic is Telecom Chorus CEO Mark Templeton’s offer, made at the Economic Development Agency’s conference 2 weeks ago, for communities to “contribute to fibre deployment costs” and to “aggregate demand”, so improving the economic case for installing fibre cables in rural areas.  That’s great, but it remains to be seen whether Telecom can provide a high speed broadband service priced anywhere near to Opto Networks’ $100 per month for 100Mb/s, no data cap and a phone line included.

The harmony of Community Broadband will assume greater importance to our rural areas as it will become the only means for remote communities in Franklin to overcome their economic dependence and loss of identity and decision making in the Auckland Super City.  Only time will now tell if that happens.  But one thing is clear, solutions lie in the hands of each community and if they do not seize the opportunity now, they will likely have to wait for the government’s Rural Broadband Initiative to play out over the next 6 - 10 years.