As I watched the U.A.A.P. coverage between Ateneo vs. DLSU, in the games on TV’s Studio 23, I couldn’t help but think of the comparison of the two deals of ZTE and ‘the Joey’ one, both moving down to the wire and both ending in close fights. But unlike in the Basketball fight, the broadband game had more ‘losers’ and clearly no winner.
I couldn’t help but notice all the missed shots and level of play that seemed to show a dsl or dial-up like speed.
I wondered, If that level of play could be at a NCAA or Korean or European college leagues,
But that’s kind of like comparing how local ISP’s provide such low level of potency online compared to other countries capabilities.
Albeit, I must say the guys played their hearts out, It just wasn’t the speed of 100-point-plus play,
I remember from high school teams I saw in California when I played in CIF in Orange County.
I played football and wrestled and ran track, did a little bit of basketball,
but lets just say my DNA gene pool kept my skills better on the gridiron than the court.
So as to the games in question, perhaps its the rules, perhaps its the officiating, kind of like the way the National Broadband system or backbone or network is playing out in both legal, real, and, media space -
Pettiness instead of world class competition.
While obviously, this broadband program is going to be sidelined.
There is a need for a National Broadband system or backbone.
The private sector will not provide it everywhere.
One need only look at 3g/gprs/wifi broadband systems of private networks to see that its only partial in coverage at best and far from stable.
Perhaps anyone who travels around this country can say plainly.
Government does needs to build it. Perhaps then lease out bandwidth to local providers and ISPs to boost penetration of a better information highway.
The national virtual highways of America, the EU, and, Korea are government owned backbones – which lease out space or bandwidth to private companies.
Remember Al Gore’s broadband initiative in the USA in the mid 1990’s?
It’s what got the web wound to more places than was profitable at the time.
It’s also what started the telecommuting industry which has led to the outsourcing industry and which has led to a global web of work and opportunity for people everywhere to take part in this village we call the virtual humanity that is the world wide web.
That is the sad loss here with the suspension of this deal.
The negative side of all this wheeling and dealing of the ‘tweedle dee’s’ and ‘tweedle dum’s’ will only setback the situation further.
How long will it be, or the country have to wait for the private sector here to provide the real internet access they can but give out, currently in bits in trickles and change one of the highest rates for in the world?
If we wait for the GLOBE, PLDT’s, and BAYANTEL’s and others to provide it that will be some time to come and so with the delays will go the opportunities.
But, look up to the heavens as Thuraya and other regional sat-nets slowly are providing regional broadband coverage via BGAN systems.
These space based broadband systems, will hopefully force the private sector to move beyond their ways and lower prices and more importantly improve service speeds.
Or, if not the country will lose more potential in the race to compete in outsourcing and other web based services.
Actually, there is a national network in place in most homes and offices that can carry near broadband like capability in internet speed.
Using the second carrier bandwidth stream of ‘wires’ already in place.
I’ll put up more information on that soon.
Its actually in use in many places and offers a wired inexpensive alternative to fiber optics.
The sad fact, is, while most people, like I do, think probably the ultimate outcome was both deals were wrongly presented or brokered.
There is a need for National network.
I totally disagree with the UP study on the need for a government backbone.
It is needed because the private sector as observed by Sec. Mendoza will rarely venture into areas that do not offer high levels of profitability.
Sometime’s, I look back to the days of Extelcom, remember that? They were the first in cell phones – they laughed when then Isla-com offered GSM and SMS messaging saying ‘ It would never catch on, ‘
Where is Extelcom now,
- ouch perhaps thats too close to home for some in Da’ Pamilya clan I came from.
The bottom line as a Promdi from Palawan – is that – the government does need to do something to boost the broadband spread and penetration.
Because, the private sector only really cares about Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao and perhaps Bagiuo.
Sadly the need is there, So is the demand, But, they do not proivde the backbone nor the support for it on national level.
Yet, this is most shown at present, in they do not even spread GPRS and EDGE and 3G towers too far outside of Metro Manila.
And even here, in the Metropolis, it does not do a very good job of it, signals are lost and slowly but surely most people shift to the need for wired systems.
I know, big name sponsors Smart and Globe and all the smaller companies all advertise nationwide systems.
But most are at best double dial-up speeds.
Wirelessly, the technology is already in place to provide better coverage levels.
But, sadly, they do not. Like with Oil companies and fuel.
they hope to stem the demand and, keep their profits high.
While providing basic services only for all their claims of full coverage.
While hoping to keep billing rates as high as possible.
Yes, Smart Telecom, by far has really done a lot to boost basic wireless internet penetration over cellphones and using the ‘Canopy wireless’ WI-Max systems, The smart bro network systems,
And Smart deserves to be commended for it’s cell based applications.
It’s basic rate of GPRS and 3g internet at 10 pesos per 30 minutes is a Godsend.
But, demend exceeds their network capabilty.
That us why after all of the nonsense of this current scandal is hopefully worked out- someone will still move to create the infrastructure needed to provide broadband networks on a nationwide scale.
As there is a need for a National backbone and it will sufferer because of the shenanigans of the dealers and brokers of deals like this NBN-ZTE one.
But while everyone bickers and gets hot under the collar, look up to heavens and give praise.
Thank God and the company, Thurya mobile satphones which can be bought in Singapore along with sat-based internet access cables and other wireless broadband or regional BGAN systems that are slowly coming into the region and should be operational in a few months. meaning, direct sat-based coverage.
[]… UAE-based Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Co plans to start services in the Asia Pacific region in late 2007 after it launches its delayed third satellite next month, the company’s CEO said yesterday.”Following the launch of Thuraya-3 satellite, the company expects to… start commercial services in Asia Pacific markets by December 23,” Yousuf Al Sayed said, adding that the launch would be on October 28. The new satellite is part of the company’s plans to expand coverage to countries including China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Australia, doubling the market size under its footprint. (Gulf News) … []
While in the U.S. a year or more ago I remember a Satitlite broadband company, that offered Higher bandwidths and less downtime promised speed of 10MBPS or better.
Albeit at a price in foreign currency. So, even while the national broadband network will still not be, nor will local providers be up to speed and locals who will be able to afford it will in order to be ‘globally competitive’ use the new space based Sat-BGAN systems.
All for the princely sum of I hear of $59.99 a month. Which is like P2,300 more or less depending on the rate of exchange.
Down from the $3,000 offered when this stuff came out in 2003 – 2004.
Thuraya plans Asia-Pacific launch soon -
Thuraya set to launch its third satellite into orbit in October
For broadband users. that if it works at even half the speed promised will cut price to just about the cost of basic DSL.
So, with no shared network to compete the local nets will still be at each others throats and the national network will not be around.
Hence, yes, the provider will be there in heavens up above.
Need Even Higher Data Rate Internet Access?
Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) will support simultaneous voice and data communications up to 1492 kbps. The Thrane and Thrane Explorer II will support streaming IP (that is, guaranteed quality of service) at 32, 64, 128 kbps. The Explorer II will have LAN, USB, Bluetooth and phone/fax interfaces. The Explorer II’s design is light weight (around 2.9 lb), robust and durable.
And sadly, because of all the strange plays and sways – the end result will be a web service from space.
Not one owned by the people here through a government owned back-bone that could provide more competative rates even since as government it could have provided the Lowest cost even if only to make regions and areas more infra structurally sound in both real terms and virtually.
So, neither broadband proponent will win out. And government wll not have its network soon and the ‘major isp players will control the ISP game for some time to come. on their terms and at their service fee’s and service cost.
Unless you go above it all and subscribe via satphone.
Tags: ate · thuraya in asia · BGAN · Philippine broadband · zte
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