[Starlink] On fiber as critical infrastructure w/Comcast chat

[rjmcmahon]

To be fair, this isn't unique to Comcast. I hit similar issues in NYC 
with Verizon.

I think we really need to educate people that life support capable 
communications networks are now critical infrastructure.

And, per climate impact, we may want to add Jaffe's network power 
(capacity over delay) over distance & energy. Fixed wireless offerings 
are an energy waste and generate excessive type 2 emissions. A cell 
tower is about 1-5kW for 60 connections or roughly 100-500W per remote 
client at 1 Gb/s with high latencies. A FiWi network will require 3-5W 
for 2.8 Gb/s and speed of light over fiber ultra low latencies.

I think we really need our broadband providers to lead here and that 
fiber to WiFi is the only viable end game if we care about our impacts.

"The average cellular base station, which comprises the tower and the 
radio equipment attached to it, can use anywhere from about one to five 
kilowatts (kW), depending on whether the radio equipment is housed in an 
air-conditioned building, how old the tower is and how many transceivers 
are in the base station. Most of the energy is used by the radio to 
transmit and receive cell-phone signals."

Bob
> Hi All,
> 
> I've been trying to modernize a building in Boston where I'm an HOA
> board member over the last 18 mos. I perceive the broadband network as
> a critical infrastructure to our 5 unit building.
> 
> Unfortunately, Comcast staff doesn't seem to agree. The agent
> basically closed the chat on me mid-stream (chat attached.) I've been
> at this for about 18 mos now.
> 
> While I think bufferbloat is a big issue, the bigger issue is that our
> last-mile providers must change their cultures to understand that life
> support use cases that require proper pathways, conduits & cabling can
> no longer be ignored. These buildings have coaxial thrown over the
> exterior walls done in the 80s then drilling holes without
> consideration of structures. This and the lack of environmental
> protections for our HOA's critical infrastructure is disheartening.
> It's past time to remove this shoddy work on our building and all
> buildings in Boston as well as across the globe.
> 
> My hope was by now I'd have shown through actions what a historic
> building in Boston looks like when we, as humans in our short lives,
> act as both stewards of history and as responsible guardians to those
> that share living spaces and neighborhoods today & tomorrow.
> Motivating humans to better serve one another is hard.
> 
> Bob