[1st-mile-nm] CANARIE: Green Broadband

[Richard Lowenberg]

>From our neighbors to the north, an innovative proposition and
demonstartion project:

Green Broadband and Free Gigabit Internet to the Home
<http://www.canarie.ca/canet4/library/customer/Green_Broadband.ppt>

"To address the problem of challenges of developing a FTTh business case,
especially in brownfields, CANARIE is brokering discussions between the
fiber contractor and several/gas electric companies on a more novel
business case to market and sell the fiber.  A small trial is underway in
a downtown Ottawa neighborhood.

The basic concept is to bundle FTTh as a premium on a customer's energy or
gas bill.  If the consumer reduces their energy consumption, (the higher
cost per kwh because of the broadband premium would serve as an economic
incentive to reduce consumption) then they may end up with free broadband
and the added of benefit of lower reduced green house gases. We have
nicknamed  it "Green broadband" or "Al Gore broadband"!  As well
additional revenues can be made in brokering CO2 credits because of
tele-communting, and other energy saving ideas."