[1st-mile-nm] LFC: Rural Broadband Aggregation

[John Badal]

Rarely do I respond to our distribution list with my opinions on a 1st Mile subject, but the premise of this report is flawed, which negates the conclusions.  On page 4 the statement that the absence of higher internet speeds in rural NM is due to the cost of fiber optic electronics is flatly wrong.  And on page 2 the assertion that DSL can't enable video streaming and that coaxial cable can't enable video conferencing is ludicrous.  My company utilizes video conferencing equipment to connect our offices in Gallup, Grants and Albuquerque, and soon in Bloomfield, partially over coaxial cable.  Recent tests of our broadband service over copper wire in McKinley County demonstrate 78Mbps download and 20 upload.  Our fixed wireless systems in McKinley, San Juan, Cibola, and Bernalillo Counties can also provide customers up to 100 Mbps download.  The absence of higher Internet speeds in major portions of rural NM is due to out of state local telecom carriers' lack of investment in broadband improvements to their current infrastructure.  For example, the sample list of unserved cities in table 4 of this report does not include any rural town in a locally-based rural telco's service territory.  This is not a criticism, it is a business economics fact.  While fiber to the premise is sexy and has placed NM in a competitive technology race with other states, it is not necessary for the provision of high speed Internet service unless the general population of NM requires access to Sandia Labs' super computers.  Don't get me wrong, fiber to the premise in our larger cities is a smart investment and can be made affordable, but, guys, even Google and AT&T have figured out that fiber to the premise everywhere cannot be justified economically, aggregation or no. 

John

-----Original Message-----
From: 1st-mile-nm [mailto:1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org] On Behalf Of Richard Lowenberg
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 8:54 AM
To: 1st-mile Nm <1st-mile-nm at mailman.dcn.org>
Subject: [1st-mile-nm] LFC: Rural Broadband Aggregation

Attached is a nine page .pdf of the recommendation by the Legislative Finance Committee, for State rural broadband aggregation options in New Mexico.
RL



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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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