For most Internet service providers, everything comes down to a simple cost-benefit relationship. And with that mindset, there are regions of the globe that simply can't get a decent connection. That was the situation facing the community of Doe Bay on Orcas Island in Washington state. After suffering multiple failures and getting ridiculously slow speeds from their local provider, the residents decided to build their own Internet access network. The results have been extraordinary.
Taking the Internet into Their Own Hands
Many of us are old web riders, and as such we've seen things that younger folks place alongside fantastic and delusional stories told before bed. Telephone modems and their song of horror, a download speed of 2.5 kilobytes (on a good day), mortal fights with mothers and sisters over the phone line... the past was not always better, and Internet access is a strong proof of that. Now we are in the broadband era... or so we think. Some countries are struggling with connectivity, and others are in a cold civil war between customers and providers. The United States is at the top of that list, and today's story takes us to Orcas Island in Washington state. The residents of Doe Bay got tired of the promises made by the provider CenturyLink, and came to a conclusion: "Let's make our own network".
Thus was born DBIUA, short for "Doe Bay Internet Users Association", a nonprofit project that uses microwave links and strategically installed radios to provide broadband access to 50 homes. CenturyLink could never deliver more than 1.5 megabits per second downstream; the average was half that, and outages lasted for days. In contrast, the DBIUA network uses a microwave link provided by StarTouch Broadband Services, connecting one of its towers to a radio installed atop Doe Bay's water tower, the only place with sufficient height. Then a series of Ubiquiti repeaters were installed throughout the area, including on houses and trees. The project leaders used drones to confirm there are no obstacles between links that could degrade the service.
DBIUA went live in September 2014, and although it has not been free of technical incidents (for example, a sheep knocked over a PoE cable), the experience is far superior to what they had with CenturyLink. The average speed ranges between 20 and 25 megabits per second (download and upload simultaneously), with peaks of 30 to 40 megabits. Although the team responsible for installing and maintaining DBIUA has some technical experience, the biggest difficulty in starting a similar project is economic. Building the network required $25,000, received as an interest-free loan (to be repaid over three years) from an anonymous resident. DBIUA membership has a $150 fee (refundable), and then $75 monthly, all destined for maintenance and paying back the loan. It may be slightly more expensive than average, but the point is that it works, and once the loan is paid off, they can lower rates. Neighbors helping each other. Providers could learn something...
