{"id":27846,"date":"2018-09-23T15:12:29","date_gmt":"2018-09-23T19:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wadesarver.com\/Podcast\/?p=27846"},"modified":"2018-09-23T15:12:29","modified_gmt":"2018-09-23T19:12:29","slug":"could-you-support-a-large-broadband-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wadesarver.com\/Podcast\/2018\/09\/could-you-support-a-large-broadband-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"Could you support a large Broadband Deployment?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"COP<\/a><\/h1>\n

I was reading several articles about the failure of Google Broadband to rollout nationwide. The article in TechDirt was really interesting. It\u2019s listed below under resources.<\/p>\n

The thing is, Google thought it would be easy to roll out fiber. I think they thought it would be cost-effective to be the resource and the provider. What they didn\u2019t count on is how much hard work and upfront money is needed. The could have partnered with some smaller ISPs to leverage their expertise. In this case, they thought they knew better. They learned the hard way.<\/p>\n

For a list of products to support Wade4Wireless, click here!<\/a><\/h2>\n

I see the difference as Google was used to building data centers and applications. While this is work, they can test it, but they have to build it and hope the people like it. If they don\u2019t sign up, then they can shut it down and move on for relatively little cost and no ongoing costs other than internet access.<\/p>\n

If you deploy a system, you have a heavy upfront cost, ongoing OpEx, and expense to shut things down. You can pull the fiber and use it somewhere else, once it\u2019s pulled its garbage in most cases.\"Small<\/a><\/p>\n

Then, if you build it and nobody signs up, you\u2019re losing money every month because you\u2019re paying for that pole, that line, that support as part of a heavy OpEx whether it\u2019s used or not.<\/p>\n

It takes time, patience, money, and an investment to roll out fiber. It takes CapEx up front and OpEx for the long haul. It\u2019s not an easy venture, and it takes balls.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why the smaller businesses struggle, they have to do all of this, and they probably have a debt to pay. You have to pay your contractors when they do the work. You have to pay for the supplies and fiber as you roll it out. You have to pay for the permits up front, a hefty cost. You have to pay for the site acquisition up front. There are very few shortcuts.\"official<\/a><\/p>\n

Almighty Google learned this the hard way. That’s probably why they always complain about spectrum but have yet to win any in the auctions. They know it would be a long hard and expensive road to build a wireless system. Why do you think Virgin is an MVNO? Richard Branson didn\u2019t want to outlay billions of dollars or Euros just to hope people would use it. So he bought minutes off of an established carrier in the countries where he wanted to do business. Then he started reselling. It just made sense. With a low CapEx and little OpEx, he can start selling smartphones on day one without hoping anyone would sign up or be limited on coverage. I wonder how he will compete in the unlimited data world?<\/p>\n

In all honesty, Google did a great job where they did deploy fiber. It was a resounding success in the markets they reached. At least, I thought it was great. They helped to prove that it would work. People wanted them in their markets for a reason. Comcast and AT&T hated them for a reason. It all means the same thing, better internet for the end-user, which is you and me.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Planning:<\/h2>\n

It takes a plan. One thing I learned from my Smart City days is that you need to have a plan to deploy. Depending upon your job, you probably thought about this differently. What I mean is that the deployment teams think of site acquisition, labor, contractors, union issues, permitting and zoning. If you\u2019re the financial guy, you thought about the leasing, the outlay of funds, the investment, and the payback. If you’re the pole guy, you thought about the leases, the competition, the potential for protests from the preexisting companies on the poles.<\/p>\n

My point here is, you need to start high level and work your way down. In the early days of small cell deployment, we worked with many teams to see what we could do.<\/p>\n

The thing is that Het Net planning and fiber planning have a lot in common. OK, when I say Het Net, I mean small cells, sorry.<\/p>\n

Planning:\"Tower<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n