ViNGN

I've been skeptical about it from it's conception. I may well be wrong but with so many people walking around with all these hand-held mobiles with internet access at the fingertips I somehow think the whole thing is, well, already maybe rather outdated. For many years community centers and UVI have offered no-cost/low-cost computer training to residents. I still don't have anywhere near the internet speed I enjoyed at friends' houses stateside over 20 years ago. I'm used to it and deal with it but it still rather boggles my old mind!

I don't understand what their business plan is.

Innovative is already building their own fiber network to connect hubs and nodes to their backbone and to Global Crossings. All th e fiber in the world isn't going to help their internet speed as the degraded copper wiring into homes means their DSL connections will always be slow.

Broadband VI already has lots of connectivity to Global Crossings (underseas fiber to USA ).

All the economic benefit I can see is providing a few more $100K jobs for the lucky ones with connections.

By now, I'm guessing most USVI citizens already have access to multiple computers at home, work and with cell phones .

Given some of the poverty statistics in the VI, I highly doubt this is true. A lot of the kids I have worked with have no access to computers or the internet.

According to the VI bureau of economic research:
"11% of households in the U.S. Virgin Islands live on less than $10,000 a year. One-half of households in the U.S.V.I. live on less than $35,000 a year. Twenty-five percent of Virgin Islanders lived in poverty in 2008.

In addition, twenty-three percent of families in the U.S.V.I. or 6,206 families were living in poverty, most of them with children in the household. Twenty-four percent of families with related children under the age of 18 live in poverty. Thirty-four percent of families headed by a female live in poverty in the U.S.V.I." http://politic365.com/2012/05/07/fcc-implements-competition-for-best-broadband-adoption-idea/

One hopes that these little centers become a place that kids can do homework in. And most people are not allowed to use their work computers for personal things like web surfing and shopping.

Not very cost effective when their interest on their Banco Pop loan for this project is 6.25% and they are paying $7.7MILLION per year, alone, in interest according to a STT Source article this morning. Goodness, one would think they could have gotten a much better rate!
The interest alone is a staggering amount. Wonder who negotiated that rate? BP must be thrilled! VI taxpayers whose pockets shall eventually, if not already pay for this folly - not so much.

At that cost, the USVI government could BUY every school age child a computer.

Not very cost effective when their interest on their Banco Pop loan for this project is 6.25%

Given the borrower's credit history, I'm supprised BPop is extending credit at all.

If the VI doesn't improve the internet access infrastructure within the next 5 years, it will be left behind and there will be virtually no chance of progressing more beyond the tourism/hospitality industry and even that will be impacted by lack of proper infrastructure.

Failure is not an option !

If the VI doesn't improve the internet access infrastructure within the next 5 years, it will be left behind and there will be virtually no chance of progressing more beyond the tourism/hospitality industry and even that will be impacted by lack of proper infrastructure.

Failure is not an option !

I think the main issue here is less that of the necessity for the infrastructure but of the VI government being involved versus private enterprise. I've no idea of the complexities involved but it seems to me, on the face of it (and given that this is totally outside my purview) that there's both overlap and redundancy clashing. Some knowledgeable technical input would be a big help!

So...how is this system going to benefit me at my home and business?

So...how is this system going to benefit me at my home and business?

The money from the Feds was given to the VI under a stimulus program that was meant to improve technology infrastructure for rural areas in the US.

Their business plan prevents the VINGN from directly selling service to the public/businesses, I believe it is even stated as such in the bill that created the company. VINGN will be selling /renting access into their network to people like BroadbandVI, Choice, etc.... That being said since all of these companies already have infrastructure in place or are working on it, I don't see their being a big demand for NGN's backbone services from existing providers. It could have the effect of new people getting into the ISP business however depending on what NGN's rates are going to be.

The benefit is that for the first time the VI will be getting a more modern infrastructure that is more in line with other areas in the states. Since NGNs services are subsidized by the government it could have the potential of lowering internet access bills while at the same time getting more speed for your buck. It also could have the potential of drawing even more businesses to the STX Tech park creating new jobs.

Since NGNs services are subsidized by the government it could have the potential of lowering internet access bills while at the same time getting more speed for your buck. It also could have the potential of drawing even more businesses to the STX Tech park creating new jobs.

"Could" being the operative word. 😀 Only time will tell ...

It is really sad and somewhat depressing to always be so filled with such trepidation regarding the projects in which our government gets involved. However, given the past history of how Federal and Local funds have been and are, presently, (mis) spent for what little we seem to get in return, is it any wonder we have our doubts? Ahhh! To be able to trust in our lawmakers and elected officials would be a wonderful thing! Too bad it is not a reality.

So...how is this system going to benefit me at my home and business?

Their business plan prevents the VINGN from directly selling service to the public/businesses, I believe it is even stated as such in the bill that created the company. VINGN will be selling /renting access into their network to people like BroadbandVI, Choice, etc....

A bit of a contradiction here.

So, what is really being said is that this project really won't benefit anyone except those willing to go to the little "centers" to do their computing. Then later when they find out no one wants to go to the little centers for one reason or another, the government will attempt to commercialize the service and "lower" our broadband costs.

Perhaps they should let the private sector manage this before its too late.