Broadband of Brothers

First Person Product Report

Mike Walker

I have never met Smarter Broadband’s founder, Adam Brodel.  From speaking with him on the phone, I’d imagine he might be English, but he certainly qualifies as what George Gilder calls “a cowboy” …see, - Gilder Technology Report,  “Wireless Shootout: Suits Vs. Cowboys”  

At Sunset Travel, we’ve hoed the long row from using old AT&T data lines to having the county’s’s first operating DSL account. We’ve tried relying on Verizon’s PCMCIA AirCard for web access, and even had NCCN’s staff all over my roof (in August!) trying to align a receiver with their short lived antenna experiment on Wolf Mountain.

But home and residence offices are in Hidden Valley, two miles south of the Fairgrounds- in the middle of nowhere as far as the phone and cable companies are concerned. The closest I was to getting broadband was having had Cat 5 cable installed while remodeling. How I’d actually, eventually hook-up was anybody’s guess. Satellite doesn’t work very well with the maximum-security systems of the travel industry. Internet over power lines, maybe?

About two weeks ago, I was amazed to see a “Smarter Broadband” sign on Hidden Valley Road at Old Auburn. I called and Adam Brodel explained the basics, that wireless broadband was up and running in the Sherwood Forest area two miles away. I checked him out with a couple of buddies who always seem to be in the know about ISP’s in Nevada County and he had good references, very good!

New Broadband Beacon

Russ Steele

The Governor's Broadband Task Force has developed a new web site to keep the Task Force Working Groups and the public up to date. Here is the URL: http://broadband.calit2.net/

Jeff Newman our BTF contact wrote:

The Task Force had its first meeting on January 18, and will have their next on March 20.  During the first meeting they officially approved the creation of Working Groups.  Over the last month we have been working to build out these groups.  An email went out to all working group members and working group chairs last week and they will all have their first meeting on or around March 1.  The Task Force is nearing completing of its Preliminary Report to the Governor's Office.  The Preliminary Report, unlike the Final Report, is only to the Office of the Governor which has the discetion to release it publicly.

Are you getting the speed you paid for?

Russ Steele

When I first installed Comcast Internet, I was getting about 6000K down, it was fast. Over time it has slowed down.  Last night I was only averaging about 555K, which is about DSL Speeds. But, when you read the Comcast ads, or watch them on TV, they promise 4 times the DSL speeds, up to 6000K.  Well in the agreement I signed the promise was for "up to." Which is really from 0 to 6,000K and any where in between. The devil is in the details.  The San Francisco Sunday Chronicle Business section has an interesting story about the FCC looking into broadband speed claims by providers. Details here.

Here is the speed test I use: http://www.speedtest.net/

You can try different servers on the speed test. My slowest was to San Francisco at 357K, Salt Lake at 3300K with several others being between 500K and 1,500K  Faster than dialup but slower than I have been used to.  Please let us know what your speed is in a comment  Are you getting what you are paying for?