Convergence Conversation

Smartgrids and smart meters are gonna be buzzwords this year, (finally - thanks Chattanooga for JFDI) as the competition hots up to reach consumers and achieve EU Policy requirements for energy - which as I recall were supposed to be satisfied by 2008. But, we are miles out with our thinking. Or some are.

Chattanooga has shown the way by combining smart grids plus gigabit FTTH. We ignore such examples at our peril, I believe.

Imagine that you had a chance to install "a device" in every single premises in the country. And, just like the meters before them for electricity, this device will be in situ for years. More...

I am awaiting with interest the response of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Ofgem to their consultation on implementing smart metering in the UK. In a joint open letter sent on 9 December they promised a detailed … Continue reading →

The emphasis for the need to 'up the pace' on delivering rural connectivity increases by the day....

It seems that the message is slowly sinking in - it is time to stop talking and start doing. However, there is still a need to educate across all levels so that the right (political) decisions are made to deliver the required EndGame.

Dr Charles Trotman, CLA has just emailed regarding the need for a broadband coalition in order to get co-operation and collaboration in solving the problem. (see below for the text of the email)

The first meeting to establish how such an organisation will be run is arranged for 2nd March in London. More...

With the UN summit on climate change being undertaken in Copenhagen from 7th to 14th of December the globe switches the attention to the severity of the situation and the high need for swift actions from all levels of the international community. If you cannot make it to the summit you can find a variety of ways to participate and contribute by simply visiting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

As a prelude to the conference 1minutetosavetheworld.com launched a competition for a one-minute video about climate change. Here’s two I’d love to share with you. More...

Cisco and the city of Amsterdam announced yesterday the rollout of Urban EcoMap, an Internet-based tool that enables cities around the world to provide smarter climate change information for their citizens.

The tool at this stage helps cities to build a footprint of their carbon emission (soon through real-time data from public utilities and other public services). It will increase awareness of the impact of carbon emissions and will obviously facilitate smart acting towards the reduction of CO2 emissions.

It provides information on carbon emissions from transportation, energy and waste among neighborhoods, organized by district, and delivers tips on ways to reduce a resident’s carbon footprint. More...

Whilst FttH (Fibre to the Home) and its partner FiWi (Fibre & Wireless) are undoubtedly the future of telecommunications, otherwise known as NGA (Next Generation Access), for many people especially in rural areas, the problem now, today, is how to get any kind of broadband service.

The following video clips show how an ADSL broadband feed can be extended some 3KM to provide service to a farm house that is beyond the range of ADSL.

If you do not feel entirely confident and competent at performing any of the following tasks – then please don’t DIY and rather seek professional advice and/or installation. More...

It was a bit hard to miss the meeting this week of the CEOs of the mobile industry with Lord Mandelson.

However, the discussions about spectrum allocation in order to deliver next gen seem to be misplaced. It is hard to see how the mobile wireless technology currently available or even on the cards can deliver what is required to get this country moving forwards to an equivalence of access already available in other countries with FTTH.

Wireless is the right technology to use to build a wireless cloud over the top of a fixed fibre network to give access when mobile ie on the move, in transit, not fixed etc. More...

Not sure what the BBC are playing at. We could have had a half hour series on this dig on prime time TV judging by the amount of interest!! All three videos are now on Youtube and the links are all here for you, with the third hot off the press this very morn. With suggested music to accompany this fab feat!

I need to stress that one of the most important reasons for this JFDI FTTH exercise is the fact that there is no ADSL in the vicinity. Whereas we have been pushing for FiWi for years (Fibre--> wireless), these connections are having to be wireless-fibre because of the lack of fibre in close proximity, nor decent copper for that matter. More...