I've just heard about a new idea that I think deserves more exposure.
The Cambridge Bandwidth Consortium is a group of heavy-volume Internet users, who have arranged to provide their members with shared DS3 access to the net, with DS1 (T1) speeds available at each member's endpoint.
Here's how it works:
- Each member pays 0/month for a connection to a colocated MUX and access to DS3 (45 Mbps) bandwidth.
- Each member pays for their own connection to the colo cage, typically via T1, which is about 0/month.
- Each member is free to use the bandwidth as they choose: there's no port-blocking or "traffic shaping".
Of course, ~$350/month is out of the range of most home users, but many of the participants sublet their T1's to other tenants, houses, roommates, etc.: if you had six other apartments in your building willing to pay $50/month for unfettered business-class service, it would be price-competitive with VeriCast et al.
As the major ISP's get more arrogant and more willing to intrude in their customers' Internet usage, CBC and others like it will become more and more attractive as alternatives to the usual players.
I'm curious how many other areas and organizations are doing this, and if the bandwidth is being shared between Internet and traditional circuit-switching usage, or if it's strictly IP.
Bill