Internet : How It Works

How does the Internet work? The following two videos are good introductory material for answering that question. We used those for introducing our Department at TUHH to new undergraduate students. And couple of times I used also at ITB for the same purpose. The fist video (Warriors of the Net) is made by Ericsson MediaLab (?), narated in English and it's also available for download in several languages. The second video (Die Maus erklaert das Internet) is an episode from the "die Sendung mit der Maus" from the german WDR TV-broadcaster (sure, it's in German, but I think it's quite "selfexplanatory" :-D ).

WildBlue Satellite Services

As mentioned in the previous posts, O3b Networks will utilize Ka-Band. They are surely not the first who use that frequency band for commercial satellite services. Personally, I remembered "WildBlue" when I, for the first time, read about O3b Networks. Sure, if we look at the type of satellites they use and the services they offer, O3b and WildBlue are completely different. But I see they share the same idea: reinventing satellite technology for broadband purposes. Though, I'm a bit dissapointed to know that O3b can "only" achieve a bit more than 1 Gigs/beam or around 10 Gigs/satellite... :-D .. I did hope for a bigger figure :-D

O3b Networks - Latency

Below is a table showing a comparison of some latency figures of the O3b and a typical geosynchronous satellite system. The O3b Networks MEO orbit constellation is at an altitude of 8,063 Kilometers, while the geosynchronous satellite at 35,786 Kilometers.

O3b Networks - 2

Below are several quotes mentioning O3b Networks from media/third parties' point of view.

O3b Networks

What is special about it? I've heard about Teledesic story happened more than 10 years ago. At a glance O3b Networks offers similar things. Then again, what is special? Could it happen that they just repeat the old story again? Hmmm, to be honest, I don't know .. :-D .. What attracts me for the first time to O3b because it's Google's! :-D ... I see that Google always innovates cleverly, offering people good stuff and often for free!! Now, that they've backed O3b, it should be something different, right? :-D .. As I wrote this, if everything okay, I'll meet some of O3b guys tomorrow. But let's open our eyes and look a bit more deep at their concept.. :-D

Ka and Ku-Band

Just to refresh our memory regarding electromagnetic spectrum :-D

Excelcomindo Pratama - Updates

Some updates for XL (PT. Excelcomindo Pratama) - 07/2009:

• International bandwidth: 640 Mbps (current); 1 Gbps (target at 2009E) - this is total or only for Internet service?
• Customers: 25 mn (incl. 6.1 mn 3G - 20 th. from those are active broadband users)
• 18,000 BTSs (capacity upgraded recently - two times higher; figure??)
• Coverage: 90% population (claimed)
• International bandwidth for BlackBerry services: 45 Mbps (65 Mbps already?; end 2009 100 Mbps expected)
• BlackBerry customers: 135 th. (target 2009E - 200 th. subscribers)

Moratel - Updates

Just found something related to Moratel and its new cable MBDC, that might be of our interest :-D

• It seems that the branch to Melaka will also be installed in the near future (if not immeadiately); in several reports, Moratel uses BDM term (Batam-Dumai-Melaka) instead of MBDC
• Length: 500 km (seems, incl. branch to Melaka)
• Investment: USD 40 mn
• GMSL is on the board! (Subcon from Triasmitra??)
• Installation target: Batam-Dumai (08/2009); Dumai-Melaka (09/2009)
• Inland segment: Dumai-Palembang-Lampung-Kalianda-Anyer-Jakarta (08/2009)

Smart Telecom - Some Updates

If it isn't otherwise stated, the following data are as of 07/2009.

Three HCPT - Some Updates

If it isn't otherwise stated, the following data are actual as of 07/2009.

Axis NTS - Some Updates

Below are some facts as of 07/2009 for Axis / NTS (Natrindo Telepon Selular).

Tata : Onnet PoP soon in Jakarta ?

Some times ago, Tata has opened a new data center in Singapore. There is a strong hint that they will not stop there. They intends to open several onnet PoPs in South-East Asian Cities, including Jakarta! It is unlikely that they will put a dedicated cable from Singapore or from any underwater BU directly to Jakarta, right? It could mean that they (have) approach(ed) one or two cable owners to Jakarta. The question is ... WHO? :-D ... But in any case, shall Tata indeed open a PoP in Jakarta, domestic Internet providers and users could expect for cheaper Internet access prices. Agree? No? .. :-D

EAC-C2C (2)

Just want to put additional information for EAC-C2C system. This is official, taken from Pacnet's site.

At the heart of Pacnet is EAC-C2C, our integrated state-of-the-art fiber optic submarine cable network spanning 36,800 kilometers between Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Singapore. EAC-C2C has a design capacity of 10.24 Tbps with less than 20 percent lit and continuous upgrades underway.

Moratelindo's Network

The following pictures illustrate the network operated by Moratelindo. Sure, they mustn't necessarily own the transmission infrastructure. However, it seems that they "slow" but sure try to build their own lines. In addition to MIC-1 and MBDC, recently they also claimed: they just finished their Java backbone development last year. If it's true, then they shall currently have a (completely or slightly) different Java backbone compared to that in the picture below. Why ? You know lah I guess .. :-D

Google's Container - Soon in MY ?

I guessed it already :-D ... but I just found things that support it. So, 2010 or early 2011 Google's container (data center) will come to Malaysia. Singapore is overpopulated ? Seems so. What do you think? :-D

IET - Into the Light, by David Sandham

Submarine Cable Repair/Maintenance

I'm preparing some videos for my class in this fall semester and searched for those in YouTube. Below is one video showing submarine cable repair/maintenance. It's almost similar to a video distributed by Alcatel-Lucent, except that it's 3D! Cool, right?

Palapa Ring (12)

Yesterday, some media reported a "minor" update regarding the Palapa Ring project. Telegeography (citing AsiaPulse) mentioned among other things that the project shall cost around USD 700 mn. Bisnis (citing one of the ministry VIP) said that Palapa Ring project shall be supported by the govt's ICT Fund (loan 0% interest).

Telegeography: A group of three Indonesian telecoms operators have reportedly postponed until the end of this year plans to deploy a USD700 million fibre-optic telecoms cable in eastern Indonesia, citing financial obstacles as the reason. AsiaPulse writes the three - PT Telkom, PT Indosat and PT Bakrie Telecom – have jointly agreed to begin construction work on the Palapa Ring project in December 2009, rather than the original August start date.

Moratel + XL + FIC/SCAN ?

I unintentionally found a picture below. It could be just an illustration. But it could also be a real plan :-D ... To my guess, it looks similar to the current Excelcomindo + Moratelindo networks combined with the new FIC SCAN system. How good is my guess? What do you think? :-D

Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later

Clear enough? Yes, no matter when, you just have to pay! :-D ... Well, it's the title of Randy Bush's presentation at the last NANOG event. What is it all about? IPv6 of course, what else! Several times ago, Todd Underwood (formerly at Renesys) has written a nice blog entry about this, ehm, maybe not exactly the same but similar. It more or less can be interpreted as follows.

TGN-IA : Latency

I already wrote about this somewhere :-D ... but below is a better table mentioning this latency figure for the TGN-IA system. This latency issue seems to be one selling point exposed by Tata. Sure, they should (have to) sell this, since they construct a new system in a currently "cable-dense" area :-D

TGN-IA

Some details for TGN-IA system:

• The TGN-Intra Asia Cable System is a linear cable system between Singapore and Japan with Day-1 branch landings into Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines
• The system is equipped with two additional branching units, which enable entry into other markets, and is designed with four fibre pairs delivering a capacity of at least 3.84 Tbps

Tata's 10 GigE Services

Just read a news entry mentioning Tata's new service platform: global 10 GigE (10 Gbps Ethernet) services, available at 25 major cities in 11 countries. Jakarta isn't in the list, but Singapore is of course inside. The service covers both 10 GigE LAN PHY and WAN PHY at selectable grade of availability ranging from 99.5% (unprotected circuits) to 99.9% (protected circuits). The service features MEF 6.1 defined Ethernet Private Line (EPL) point to point configuration so that customers’ data is isolated and travels on its own Ethernet pipe, is a truly dedicated, secure service.

Telkom's, XL's, or Moratel's Cable Break?

Several times ago detik.com has reported that Telkom and Excelomindo have experienced problems for their international connections due to submarine cable break(s). You might find the reports here and here. One source also said that three operators in Batam shared the same fate. The question is which cable is/was broken?

Things Come, Things Go

Hi :-D meet you again .. so, from where should I start? ... Maybe, I can start with the "things" :-D ..