Categories
broadband Business online safety

ONS’s “Social Trends Spotlight On: e-Society” (Internet Access)

A few statistics jump out of the page of the Office Of National Statistics (ONS) report entitled Social Trends Spotlight On: e-Society.

In 2010 73% of UK households have internet access. If we take the 2009 statistic that only 90% of these had “broadband” then we can assume that around two thirds of the country has broadband. Coincidentally 64% of children aged 5 to 15 had used the internet for schoolwork or homework at least once a week. One might interpret this as saying that the 1/3 of children without broadband were unable to access the internet for schoolwork. I realise that is a bit too simplistic but is certainly does highlight a problem.

87% of French people are “very worried” that their child might become the victim of online grooming.  This is in marked contrast with the UK where the number is only 32% (Slovakia is 10%!).  There are a few ways of reading this:

Continue reading “ONS’s “Social Trends Spotlight On: e-Society” (Internet Access)”
Categories
Business piracy Regs surveillance & privacy

Digital Economy Act – problems lie ahead #DEAct

With all the current debate going on regarding cost sharing and the Digital Economy Act it is interesting to look into the future to try and see the mess there is going to be when people start getting warning notices and then wanting to appeal against them.

Ths clip below is from The Herts Advertiser24 a local paper in St Albans. It concerns a teenager taken to court for downloading indecent images of children and animals. The teenager had been using Limewire to download porn but had not realised that his PC was being seeded with other images and did not in fact know they were there.

Continue reading “Digital Economy Act – problems lie ahead #DEAct”
Categories
broadband Engineer internet

FTTC Broadband at 700Mbps? The Man from Huawei He Say Yes!

Huawei

I don’t know whether it’s because I’m getting old but the pace of life seems so frenetic these days. Today I read about a 700Mbps DSL prototype showcased in Hong Kong by Chinese networking vendor Huawei.

Huawei’s SuperMIMO technology uses four twisted pairs to achieve a downstream rate of 700Mbps at a distance of 400 metres. This means it would likely fit into a Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC broadband) scenario. In the UK of course we are just rolling out “up to 40Mbps” FTTC and trialing 100Mbps Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

Continue reading “FTTC Broadband at 700Mbps? The Man from Huawei He Say Yes!”
Categories
broadband Business

FTTC Broadband Exchange Rollout Update

Just posted the most recent schedule for FTTC broadband exchanges. It’s a few weeks overdue and the next one seems likely to come out next month but it does add 46 exchanges to the previous list.  Otherwise it is mostly schedule updates.

Categories
End User fun stuff

I like a good dip

hot chilli salsa dip competition
hot chilli salsa dip competition entries

Next in the food for thought category is a short post about chilli salsa dips.  A number of us have been growing chillies and tomatoes this summer so we thought we would have a best dip competition.

I didn’t win though my 5 chilli version was commended.  Dawn Spear won with an uber tangy fresh tomato salsa with coriander. Lurvley.

dippers dipping in to the hot chilli salsa dips
dippers dipping in to the hot chilli salsa dips
Categories
End User fun stuff

I like a good book

The high levels of intelligence and stamina required to survive the rigours of life in the engineering department of an Internet Service Provider attracts a certain breed of individual. They are all well rounded, interested in writing code, computer games, sky diving, the occasional glass of beer and like to look after their mental and bodily health.

The standard diet consists of the appropriate mix of fluids (Red Bull, Monster) and health foods (KFC, MCDonalds, Dominos, Taj Mahal takeaway etc) together with an extensive reading list required to help them keep abreast of current affairs, advancement in technology and general mental health.

The photos below show what the lads browse through during their quiet moments (Sunday mornings before, during and after church).

light reading for the Timico Network Operations Teammore light reading for the Timico Network Operations Team

Personally I’m reading Bobby Fischer Goes to War by David Edmonds and John Eidinow. I recommend it. In fact I think I will buy some more chess books.

Categories
broadband Business

Pigeon Versus Broadband Publicity Statistics #trefandrory

The pigeon versus broadband race last week generated a phenomenal level of interest. It must be said this is an illustration of the power of the BBC – although of course the fun nature of the event itself must have helped.

The race, which involved near constant media exposure throughout the day, was covered on BBC Radio 2,3,4,5, BBC1 News at 6.30 and 10pm, BBC Scotland, Humberside, World Service and Lincolnshire (they are the only ones I know of). The first radio interview was a 6.15 am and the last, Radio 5 Live, was at around 6.50pm

It was the 5th most popular item on the BBC website on Thursday – by 6.18pm it had had 92,357 story views, competing mainly with the Pope’s

Continue reading “Pigeon Versus Broadband Publicity Statistics #trefandrory”
Categories
Business Regs surveillance & privacy

Julian Huppert MP is a good lad

I’ve just read this transcription of an interview given to broadbandgenie.co.uk by LibDem MP Julian Huppert.  It is a sensible commentary on the process that led to the Digital Economy Act and worth a read.

I have not met Julian Huppert yet but hopefully he will be around for the Parliament and Internet Conference next month. JH was responsible for an early day motion on the DEAct.

We need more MPs like Julian who “get” technology issues.

Categories
Business datacentre

2,200 properties in the Newark area lose elecric power – communications services OK

2,200 properties in the Newark area have lost elecric power due to a substation failure.  I’m told it will take a couple of hours before “normal service is restored”.

That’s cool.  I can hear the reassuring sounds of the backup generator humming away. Comms are still up but the microwave oven in the kitchen, which is not a key service and therefore not supported on the jenny, has a half cooked meal in it. Customer services are still functioning. 

Continue reading “2,200 properties in the Newark area lose elecric power – communications services OK”
Categories
Archived Business

Sunday Times Techtrack 100 features Timico for 4th year running

The 2010 Sunday Times Techtrack 100 came out yesterday featuring Timico for the fourth year running. The Techtrack is really the domain of young small companies that can easily demonstrate high compound annual growth. Six years into the game Timico is really no longer a startup and each year it is going to become harder to maintain the rates of growth.

Having said that it is always nice to be recognised and this is our fourth year in the Table so we must be doing something right. (Good 🙂 )

Categories
broadband Business

Rory and Tref Pigeon Versus Broadband Race – The Highlights

Short amateur video of the Rory and Tref pigeon versus broadband stunt from last week.

Categories
broadband Business

Pigeon Versus Broadband – Rare Video Footage

This rare video footage was uncovered from the archives this lunchtime when I was looking for some photos to send to the Skegness Standard who want to cover yesterday’s Rory and Tref pigeon versus broadband race.

You will note the firm but fair grip that must be excercised on the racing pigeon prior to launch.

Catch that pigeon! #trefandrory #roryandtref

Categories
broadband End User

Haircut Video – Complete and Unexpurgated (Pigeon Versus Broadband)

This is the video that failed to upload from Furrows Farm to YouTube in yesterday’s Rory and Tref pigeon versus broadband race. It is complete and unedited so you might not want to sit through it all. On the other hand you might (we are all different – witness daytime TV).

For reference it was a “number 2 back and sides” at Antonio’s on Wragby Road in Lincoln. Also for reference I went to the Isle of Man for my holidays this year – information that didn’t come out during the haircut.

Continue reading “Haircut Video – Complete and Unexpurgated (Pigeon Versus Broadband)”
Categories
broadband Business internet

Pigeon Versus Broadband Update Rory and Tref

The great Pigeon Versus Broadband race began when the birds were set off at 11.05, and they clocked in at the loft 1hr 15 minutes later. At that time the broadband upload to YouTube was only 24% complete, and then only after having to reset it as the connection was dropped.

The distance according to Google maps was 75 miles and according to Unikon pigeon specialist Ray Knight the straight line flight path was 65 miles I believe (I am assuming they flew in a straight line).

Continue reading “Pigeon Versus Broadband Update Rory and Tref”
Categories
broadband Business

Pigeon vs broadband trailer on the BBC

Audio of a trailer intereview I did with the BBC last night talking about the rerun of the South African broadband versus pigeon race but in the UK this Thursday.

Update 17.20 15th Sept

There is a fair bit of media interest in this event with live radio interviews for BC Humberside and BBC Lincolnshire for tomorrow’s breakfast shows, mid morning and drivetime on BBC Lincolnshire as well as extensive  TV coverage on Look North. The BBC main news website is also covering the event.

Look out for the  rory&tref  hashtag on twitter during the day.  Rory and Tref are the two pigeons that will be carrying the microSD cards (Rory Stewart is the MP for Penrith).  Check out the Cumbrian Rural Broadband event he is organising here.

On a side note we will know the exact time of arrival of the pigeons back in the loft because they will be RF ID tagged. I am expecting a convincing  avian victory.

Categories
Business Regs surveillance & privacy

BIS announces 75:25 cost sharing proposals for DEAct

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has today finally published its response to the Digital Economy Act  (DEAct) cost sharing consultation. As expected, the Government has gone for a 75:25 rights holder to ISP split for costs of both notification and the appeals process. The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) and others argued long and hard for a beneficiary pays principle, which suggests that in fact the BIS postition should read 100% Rights Holder pays. That was always going to be a difficult one to win considering the whole dubious history of the DEAct.

Continue reading “BIS announces 75:25 cost sharing proposals for DEAct”
Categories
Engineer internet surveillance & privacy

classy chassis

I mentioned in my post re lobbying and the Digital Economy Act (DEAct) that he internet was a boring nuts and bolts game without the sexiness of the music industry.

Well coincidentally I have just taken delivery of some new kit – we are continually updating our network. The picture below tells it all.  The box, known as a 7606 chassis, is what we plug in the routers and line cards that run our connections to the internet.

It might look boring but engineers can get really excited about these things – at least at what is going into the box. The 7606 chassis itself is just

Continue reading “classy chassis”
Categories
Business Regs surveillance & privacy

UK Music piling on lobbying – DEAct consultations delayed

The consultation on the Initial Obligations Code required as part of the Digital Economy Act has been delayed. Originally due out at the end of July it missed this date and because it has to be issued whilst parliament is sitting was not therefore published during the summer break.

This is currently slipping week by week presumably whilst the government tries to make its mind up regarding the content.  I am also told that potentially the Cost Sharing part of the DEAct might need to be referred to the European Commission which would mean a three month delay. It looks likely that the launch of the Code of Practice which has to be done in January 2011 will be a softly softly low key affair. I can’t imagine that the CoP will be in a usable state at that time.

Continue reading “UK Music piling on lobbying – DEAct consultations delayed”
Categories
Business internet net neutrality Regs

ISPA Council beefed up with some heavy hitting members

I went to the bi-monthly Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) board meeting today. ISPA has four new council members representing BT, Eclipse Internet, Everything Everywhere and O2.

That these large organisations are keen to participate in the running of the ISP industry Trade Association is a reflection of the amount of legislative activity going on surrounding the internet in the UK.

I’d go so far to say that government attempts to regulate the internet are currently at an unprecedented level – I guess as our daily lives move into the cloud this is not a surprise but should not be seen as inevitable.

Continue reading “ISPA Council beefed up with some heavy hitting members”
Categories
broadband End User

Breakfast, Broadband Speeds and Bandwidth

I got home last night, reopened my laptop, had food (enchiladas) and started working again. 4 hours later at 11.30 after significant online usage I went to bed.

This morning I had a very refreshing cup of tea in bed, opened my laptop again and kept on going. At breakfast I had all bran and a banana which I ate whilst tweeting and then I cracked on again with some work.

A little later, having sussed the problem I had been working on, I downloaded some Open Source software (phplist if anyone is interested) and began to upload it to a test site.

Continue reading “Breakfast, Broadband Speeds and Bandwidth”
Categories
Business voip

HD Voice Peering Federation launches in UK

Next Gen interconnect carrier XConnect has in the UK today launched The HD Voice Peering Federation, a High Definition Voice initiative. This is something that was discussed at the Internet Telephony Service Providers’ Association (ITSPA) HD Voice workshop I chaired back in June. Whilst it is still early days should provide a good breeding ground for high quality voice interconnects amongst VoIP service providers.

Without such an initiative HD voice services would forever be high (quality) walled gardens with no contact with the outside world.

The initiative is supported initially by vendors Polycom, Broadsoft and Dialogic and has signed up Simwood,

Continue reading “HD Voice Peering Federation launches in UK”
Categories
End User social networking

best use for Ping is on the golf course

When I was a lad I used to sit around listening to music, chewing the fat with my pals. Nowadays I hardly listen to any music other than on the rare occasional night in on my own with a steak and a bottle of red wine.

It may be a generational thing but I don’t actually have time for it. I don’t often watch TV so in the evenings I am on my laptop doing whatever I am doing. Most of the time music would break my concentration so I don’t have it on.

I use twitter a lot in the evenings. That’s instead of Facebook which I now only dip into every now and again. Sometimes I note that people I follow on twitter are listening to music. @jobsworth for example commutes into London and often tells us what he is listening to.

So when Apple announced a new TV service and Ping, a new social network based around music I found it difficult to get excited.

Continue reading “best use for Ping is on the golf course”
Categories
End User gadgets

Kindle3 – low end competition for Apple and Samsung?

I’m not a gadget freak but I am surrounded by around 30 engineers who are and are always bringing something new in to show.

I’m particularly interested in the way that hand held devices are moving in respect of their use for business. Today Sian Steen reviews her new Kindle 3. As a book reader it isn’t obviously a business tool but it falls into a category of handheld devices that will almost certainly encourage business uses.

Trefor Davies with the Kindle3 reviewed today
Trefor Davies with the Kindle3

My own observations are that it is exceptionally good as an eBook – the clarity of the text was great – but it doesn’t yet replace tablets such as the iPad and Samsung Galaxy. However the price point is so much lower than the tabs that I’m sure it won’t take much evolution to make it compete in that space. The tradeoffs will be battery life in exchange for colour and touch screen.

Sian writes:
I’ve been waiting for a Kindle for a very long time. I’m not referring to the 3 week gap between pre ordering and the device arriving. The original Kindle was released (US only) in 2007. It sold out in 5 hours. I wanted one. Kindle 2 was made available to UK residents, but it was a cut down version.

After reading up about the original Kindle with all its fantastic features, I made up my mind that until I could have all of these things I would wait. Kindle 3 has everything the original Kindle had and more and all of it works on the UK version. It’s been almost 3 years, and the wait is finally over. For me, the Kindle 3 is the definitive eBook reader.

Continue reading “Kindle3 – low end competition for Apple and Samsung?”
Categories
Engineer internet ipv6

Top IPv6 websites – none of the big guys in it

Work done by Mike Leber of Timico peering partner Hurricane Electric suggests that of the Alexa top 1 million domains only 2136 of them are IPv6 ready – that is to say they are running native IPv6.

With less than a year to go ot IPv4 exhaustion this suggests there is still much to be done.

It is brought home when you compare the top 50 sites with the top 50 IPv6 enabled sites – none of the domains in the former is listed in the latter. Now this doesn’t come as much of a surprise – big sites need to tread carefully as they

Continue reading “Top IPv6 websites – none of the big guys in it”
Categories
Apps End User google spam

Gmail Priority Inbox – why wouldn’t you use it?

My email experience is a divided one. I use Microsoft Outlook for work stuff and I use gmail for play. Actually that isn’t entirely true as trefor.net uses gmail but that is a kind of hybrid work/play site.

New in at Google is the Gmail Priority Inbox which prioritises your mails for you. Google’s anti spam service is probably the best in the business and I never get spam on trefor.net (in all fairness the service used by Timico is also pretty good but I never get spam using gmail).

This is because Google has such a fantastic antispam engine and because it carries so many mails on a daily basis that it learns very quickly what is and isn’t a spam mail.

This same learning process is applied to the new Priority mailbox service. When I signed up for the service Google ran a test on existing emails in my inbox and to my amazement it was spot on. It deprioritised mails from Facebook, for example, and marked blog comments awaiting moderation as important.

As I use it I know it will also get better.

Google ad over.

Categories
End User mobile connectivity ofcom Regs spam

mobile spam

I was spammed on my mobile yesterday.  That is to say I had a cold call from a computer trying to sell legal services for those involved in motoring accidents.

This was extremely irritating – I can’t imagine anyone likes being suckered like this. I have checked and there doesn’t seem to be a telephone preference type service for mobile numbers.

The originating number was 08452860706 which is operated by DXI Easycall, a hosted contact centre business. You

Continue reading “mobile spam”
Categories
Archived Business

developer wanted Linux Perl Bash Ruby Python PHP5 SVN symfony Doctrine OOP

developer wanted Linux Perl Bash Ruby Python PHP5 SVN symfony Doctrine OOP.

Junior position with great career potential in fast growing market leader. Suit someone with a couple of years experience or a grad with nouse. Must be a geek.

More on website here, give me a call, send email or leave comment on this post – it will not get published.

Categories
Engineer internet

The size of the internet & the curse of deaggregation

There has recently been quite a bit of interest in the IPv4 exhaustion date. Understandable. It is coming up fast and sounds game changing. What perhaps isn’t obvious to the casual watcher of the Gadget Show or reader of newspaper technology sections  is the underlying complexity that surrounds the approach to the end of this IPv4 world.

In reading this blog your ISP will have directed your http request across the internet from its own network to the Timico network and to the server hosting the website.

This server has a public facing IP address, part of a contiguous block  that is advertised to the whole internet. The

Continue reading “The size of the internet & the curse of deaggregation”
Categories
Business internet mobile connectivity voip

Orange HD voice – when will the whole world go HD?

Mobile operator Orange has hit the headlines today with the launch of its HD voice service. Trials for this service, which uses the Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband codec (AMR-WB – otherwise known as  G722.2), began in June this year in the south of England.

The service is initially only for Orange HD handset to Orange HD handset.  This is quite easy to do as “on-net” HD calls using the same codec don’t require transcoding and also do not therefore enter into the black art world of interoperability. 

HD voice has been the subject of discussion amongst the VoIP community in the UK this year.  A fair few vendors

Continue reading “Orange HD voice – when will the whole world go HD?”
Categories
Business competitions

cheezy grins all round at the Timico cheesecake competition

My cake making competitions have become very popular.  The strange thing is that I get people I’ve never met before coming up to me saying that the posts I write about these competitions are amongst their favourites. Well one person did last week at the LINX meeting anyway. 

I’m not sure what that says about my other posts but in answer to this huge demand I am happy to report the winner  of the August competition – this time for the best cheesecake – is Paula Davies (no relation afaik).

Continue reading “cheezy grins all round at the Timico cheesecake competition”