Table of Contents

Welcome

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1: Introduction to Current and Upcoming Technologies
1.2: Why Traditional Models Won't Work in Rural Canada
1.3: Overview of the Structure of This Thesis

Chapter 2: Internet Use in Northern Ontario
2.1: Communities and Infrastructure
2.2: Community Based Networks and Their Efforts
2.3: Computer, Internet and Broadband Adoption Statistics
2.4: Outlook for Northern Ontario

Chapter 3: Wired Networks
3.1: Fibre Optic Networks
3.2: DSL
3.3: Cable
3.4: BPL

Chapter 4:Wireless Networks
4.1: WiFi
4.2: Broadband Cellular
4.3: MMDS and LMDS
4.4: Motorola Canopy
4.5: WiMAX

Chapter 5: Satellite Networks
5.1: KU-band and KA-band
5.2: Satellite as a Pipeline

Chapter 6: Broadband Funding Programs
6.1: Government Support for Broadband
6.2: Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)
6.3: Satellite Internet for Remote Areas (SIRA)
6.4: Federal Funding

Chapter 7: Infrastructure Feasibility Algorithms
7.1: The Need for Algorithms and the Definition of Feasibility
7.2: Reasoning Behind the Algorithms
7.3: Broadband Pipeline Physical Feasibility Algorithm
7.4: Broadband Last Mile Infrastructure Physical Feasibility Algorithm
7.5: Case Study: The Cottage
7.6: Case Study: Village of Hilton Beach
7.7: Afterthoughts on the Algorithms

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Appendix A: List of References
Appendix B: Glossary

3.3: Cable

Cable Internet service, commonly referred to simply as “cable,” is offered by cable television providers through their preexisting networks of coaxial cable. Coax is an excellent medium to start off with, as this durable, shielded, and insulated cabling has a very wide frequency spectrum to work with. With some upgrades to the network, a single coaxial cable can bring analog or digital television, Internet service and telephone service into a home or business.

To make more than just television possible, the coaxial network has to be converted to a hybrid fibre coax (HFC) network. Neighbourhoods of 500 to 2000 [72: 130-131] houses are connected together by one or more coaxial cables that snake up and down the streets, forming a bus topology. These coaxial cables are connected to neighbourhood fibre nodes, which simply convert electrical signals to optical, and vice-versa. The only upgrade needed to the coaxial part of the network is to replace one-way amplifiers with two-way amplifiers to overcome signal loss in both directions [72: 170]. The fibre nodes are connected by high capacity fibre optic cabling to the head end either directly or through a higher-level fibre switch. The head end is the cable company's headquarters in a community. In small communities, it's usually just an unmanned building and some satellite dishes located behind a municipal office or fire hall. To support Internet service, the head end has to be upgraded with a cable modem termination system (CMTS) [72: 173]. The fibre optic lines from the nodes are connected to the CMTS on one side and a very high capacity Internet pipeline is connected to the other side. The CMTS therefore acts as a bridge between the cable network and the Internet. Other equipment for television and telephone service will also be connected to the fibre from the nodes. At a residence or business, an inexpensive (under $150, or rented) cable modem is all that is needed to access the broadband Internet service. A splitter can be used on the coaxial cable to connect the cable modem and televisions simultaneously.

Cable doesn't suffer the same distance limitations as DSL. As long as every neighbourhood is connected to a fibre node and enough amplifiers are installed, every cable customer in that community should be able to get broadband Internet service. Because the coaxial cables are shared by several houses in a community, the bandwidth is shared between them, too. The cable provider has to be careful to not put too many houses on a cable or fibre node, to prevent bottlenecks and overloading. The cost to upgrade the network and deploy Internet service over an existing coaxial cable network is probably within the $200,000+ range, the same as DSL [52]. Fibre nodes and two-way amplifiers have to be installed, as well as the fibre optic cabling from the nodes to the head end. At the head end, a CMTS has to be installed, along with a connection to a nearby broadband pipeline.

While cable may be an attractive option for communities with cable television service, the truth is that most rural areas and a lot of small towns don't have cable. For areas that do have it, the high cost of deployment for a small customer base would likely deter the cable company due to the slow return on investment of such a project. Therefore, cable Internet is not likely to be a solution to the rural broadband problem.

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© 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