No, so I don’t understand how they can make this work. In that area of Nevada,
NEPA and other permitting fees can easily exceed the amount they are getting
per dwelling.
From: Adam Moffett
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2024 1:22 PM
To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Fw: Beehive Broadband
Ok, now you're blowing my mind.
I guess if most of the cost was permits then it won't have crazy ongoing
operating expenses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com> on behalf of ch...@go-mtc.com
<ch...@go-mtc.com>
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2024 1:14 PM
To: af@af.afmug.com <af@af.afmug.com>
Subject: [AFMUG] Fw: Beehive Broadband
It looks like the non regulated Beehive Broadband company got the BEAD.
From: Adam Moffett
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2024 12:55 PM
To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Beehive Broadband
I'm just catching up on this thread. What people need to remember is that
Beehive is a telephone company. Telephone has a universal service mandate.
Everybody else in the country puts their $5-10/month into USF so that these
pockets of expensive installations can happen. They will get ongoing payments
to make this viable. BEAD, like most of the other recent programs, covers
capital expenses, not operating expenses. You still have to be able to make a
business case showing that the service will be viable long term. This kind of
$77k per passing situation isn't viable for anyone who's not a telephone
company getting the additional help that telephone companies get. I don't
think you're going to see any WISP's or FISP's getting that kind of project
approved.
Darin definitely makes a fair point that new technology like Starlink can
provide universal service without burying fibers across miles of desert.
That'll be especially true when they get cell phones talking to a low orbit
satellite constellation (which I believe is in the works). Changing the
situation will require congress to understand that the technology has changed
and to pass an amendment to the Communications Act. That won't happen quickly,
and Elon can't do it without participation of Congress, and there will be
opposition from Telco lobbyists crafting their best arguments as to why the
gravy must continue to flow into their mouths. Inevitably the law will change,
but we might not live to see it.
-Adam
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From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com> on behalf of Darin Steffl
<darin.ste...@mnwifi.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 4:06 PM
To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <af@af.afmug.com>
Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Beehive Broadband
$77k per location passed with no guarantee you even get the customer is
absurd!!!
Once the cost per passing exceeds a reasonable cost per dwelling, no funding
should be awarded. I don't know what that number is but let's say if it costs
$20k to pass a dwelling and the BEAD funding covers 50% then both the govt and
ISP puts up $10k each to pass, that seems fair for fiber. But if the govt is
offering $77k per passing and the ISP some amount of $$ in addition, that
project should NOT be funded. This is especially true today when Starlink and
gear like Tarana is available and Kuiper is coming. The argument for high cost
passings may have made a little more sense 5+ years ago before Starlink and
Tarana but today, any passing cost above $20k should automatically be opened to
WISPs or LEO networks. If an area is truly this expensive to serve then fiber
is not a necessity and they can live fine with Starlink or a WISP. Fiber is
great but only when there's a reasonable ROI.
Chuck's example of $200k per passing is an absolute waste of money and should
have never been funded under any circumstances. Being that it was 15 years ago,
people could move somewhere else or use an alternate provider like Viasat or
Hughesnet.
On Wed, Dec 18, 2024 at 2:08 PM <ch...@go-mtc.com> wrote:
eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/nepa/99183/138915/170930/IDT_Checklist_-_California_Survival_School_508.pdf
Maybe that link will work. This is an example.
From: Colin Stanners
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 12:38 PM
To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Beehive Broadband
Could you give a breakdown of where that $200K per location for NEPA
compliance went? What did those archaeologists and engineers do?
On Wed, Dec 18, 2024, 1:15 p.m. <ch...@go-mtc.com> wrote:
Yes, while this number looks crazy, I spent that much per location 15 years
ago in rural nevada to serve about 22 farms and ranches with fiber. Most of
the cost, over $200K per location was for permitting, mostly NEPA compliance.
We had archaeologists and engineers out there for a couple years.
From: Ken Hohhof
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 11:49 AM
To: 'AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group'
Subject: [AFMUG] Beehive Broadband
The announcement of Nevada BEAD funding included this:
a.. Beehive Broadband: $22,025,793 for 286 locations
Chuck, is that your old company?
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