Author Archives: Greg Falken

These Directions For Planning Purposes Only…

By Greg Falken | Published: April 13, 2007

Planning a trip from New York to Paris? Of course you’ll want to use Google Maps. Here’s the link but make sure you pack dry clothes for use after step 23.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Broadband Expansion 101

By Greg Falken | Published: April 10, 2007

The task of bringing broadband Internet service to an unserved area has two key components: the local connection the long distance connection The logistics are similar to setting up a town with postal service. The neighborhood post office is responsible for moving mail to and from all local addresses. It is also responsible for transferring [...]

Posted in Broadband | 1 Comment

Google TiSP – Going With The Flow

By Greg Falken | Published: April 1, 2007

Google TiSP was announced today, offering free home wireless broadband service via fiter-optic cable installed through municipal sewage lines. From the FAQ: We believe that all users deserve free, fast and sanitary online access. To offset the cost of providing the TiSP service, we use information gathered by discreet DNA sequencing of your personal bodily [...]

Posted in Broadband | Leave a comment

FCC Correspondence

By Greg Falken | Published: March 28, 2007

After reading the recently signed Comcast contract, and having others validate my belief that it is a poor contract that will leave much of Tuolumne County without wireline Broadband for ten years, I sent an email to Michael Copps of the FCC. FCC Commissioner Copps had recently written an op-ed piece in the Washington Post [...]

Posted in Network Sierra | 1 Comment

Long distance via the Internet: $29.95 per year

By Greg Falken | Published: March 26, 2007

One of the reasons why broadband should include fast speeds for uploads, as well as downloads, is the increasing use of Voice Over IP (VoIP). Unlike a web browser, which mostly receives data, voice applications send as much data as they receive (even if you’re a slow talker). 128 kb/sec is about the lower limit [...]

Posted in Internet Applications, VOIP | Leave a comment

Comcast Contract Follow-Up

By Greg Falken | Published: March 20, 2007

Network Sierra member Bob Ingalls writes: I had an action item from our first Network Sierra meeting to talk to Greg Applegate regarding the Comcast contract. Greg referred me to Marian Jackson (Government Affairs) of Comcast. Marian told me that after Comcast upgrades their network, they will be offering Internet and telephone service. The key [...]

Posted in Network Sierra | Leave a comment

How A Neighborhood Gets On The Internet

By Greg Falken | Published: March 18, 2007

Getting Connected It is Network Sierra’s mission to get Tuolumne County better connected to the Internet. To make this happen, it is helpful to understand how any individual computer or any local community becomes connected to the Internet in the first place. I hope that the following basic description of Internet infrastructure provides some understanding [...]

Posted in Broadband | Leave a comment

Cell Tower Maps

By Greg Falken | Published: March 7, 2007

The following maps show the locations of cell towers in Tuolumne County, excluding those on Forest Service lands. A request for those maps is pending. Map 1 (437 KB PDF): http://www.networksierra.org/pdf/cell_tower_1.pdfMap 2 (409 KB PDF): http://www.networksierra.org/pdf/cell_tower_2.pdf

Posted in Network Sierra | Leave a comment

Final Comcast Agreement

By Greg Falken | Published: March 7, 2007

Below is a link to the agreement signed by Tuolumne County and Comcast, on 12/19/06. Thanks to Supervisor Teri Murrison for providing it and to Ed Fernandez for requesting it. Ed notes the following: After a quick perusal I noted two significant things: It calls for an update completion date in five years. It obligates [...]

Posted in Network Sierra | Leave a comment

Google Calendar

By Greg Falken | Published: March 3, 2007

Another in an occasional series about online applications that I use regularly. Google Calendar has become one of my mainstay applications. I use it to manage all my appointments and also to keep track of my wife and son (no easy task). Google Calendar excels at working with multiple calendars, even those that aren’t part [...]

Posted in Internet Applications | Leave a comment