1.3: Overview of the Structure of this Thesis
Chapter three covers fibre optic pipelines plus the major last-mile wired networks, including the more traditional DSL and cable, in addition to Broadband over Power Lines. Each technology will be briefly described from a technical perspective and its performance and scale attributes will be discussed. Its current status and the magnitude of its deployment will be covered. Its relative cost of deployment and its cost to the consumer will also be covered, and a conclusion will be drawn as to that technology's feasibility for a rural deployment.
Chapter four covers wireless pipelines plus various types of last-mile wireless networks, including WiFi, broadband cellular, Motorola Canopy, MMDS, LMDS and WiMAX. Again, each technology will be briefly described from a technical perspective and its performance and scale attributes will be discussed. Its current status and the magnitude of its deployment will be covered. Its relative cost of deployment and its cost to the consumer will also be covered, and a conclusion will be drawn as to that technology's feasibility for a rural deployment.
Chapter five covers satellite pipelines plus the two different types of consumer satellite options available, including ku-band satellite (DirecWay) and ka-band satellite (Telesat). Additionally, one innovative idea that has been deployed in nearby rural areas, commercial satellite broadband with local caching, will be explored, along with the use of satellite as a pipeline. Again, each technology will be briefly described from a technical perspective and its performance and scale attributes will be discussed. Its current status and the magnitude of its deployment will be covered. Its relative cost of deployment and its cost to the consumer will also be covered, and a conclusion will be drawn as to that technology's feasibility for a rural deployment.
Chapter six gives an outline of the various government funding programs available for broadband Internet infrastructure deployments. The federal government and the province of Ontario have had these funding programs operating for the better part of the past decade, and they and their predecessors have helped Canada become the most Internet-connected country as of 2005. There is still a lot of work to be done to bring populated rural areas up to high-speed, however, and these funding programs will help new projects get off the ground a lot faster.
Chapter seven brings together all of the findings from this thesis to present a pair of physical feasibility algorithms. Intended for use by municipalities, community groups, or curious individuals, these algorithms can help narrow down the choices for pipelines and last-mile networks by filtering out the improbable technologies. Feasibility is determined based on the basic physical requirements of each technology. The thinking behind the algorithms will also be presented, along with flow charts and three case studies utilizing a web-based implementation of the algorithms.
Finally, chapter eight will see this thesis come to a conclusion. Facts on Internet use in Northern Ontario will be reiterated, along with an interpretation of this information. The feasibility of each technology for small communities and rural areas will be identified. The benefits of funding programs will be identified, and a potential course of action for governments to take is stated. The usefulness and accuracy of the algorithms is determined, and a further course of action for the case study results is identified. Finally, the meaning of all of this information and its implications on rural communities will conclude this thesis.
© Jake Cormier, 2006 [jake (at) stormcloudstudios.com]
Completed as a partial requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Science (specialized)
Department of Computer Science :: Algoma University College :: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario :: Spring 2006