Group: ECN Users

Paradigm: Everyone who uses the Ecovillage Communications Network should be a member of this group. Members will receive updates on changes to the ECN. The ECN provides TV Signal, Ecovision connection, Internet and Voice services and more.

 The Ecovillage at Currumbin

 Ecovillage Communications Network (ECN)

 Welcome

If you need internet services contact IntegrityNet 1300 884 337

 

HISTORIAL INFORMATION:

Services Pack for Lot owners and Residents as at 9 February 2010

 

Voice and Internet Services – Connecting houses to data and phone lines

 

If you want to join the ECN, complete

a.     Form 1   Internet & ECN Voice (Telephone) services   

And if you want internet and/or voice service

b.     IntegrityNet “EcoVillage Phone and Broadband Application Form”

and send them to the contact details listed for IntegrityNet.

These forms are under Files/ECN on VillageHub

Please note that once your request has been received, connections may take 2 to 20 business days initially depending on demand.

 

 

What will change?

1. In March 2010 the ADSL connections most residents have been sharing and using for free will be decommissioned to make way for the intended system configuration.
2. Residents will need to sign up to use the ECN or install their own private system using their phone line, or go without such connections. Note that Telstra or other parties may or may not be able to provide any given residence a broadband service over copper. The Ecovillage has been advised by Telstra that the number of ADSL ports - via which broadband is provided over copper – may be limited. Also broadband speeds across copper are typically quite limited.  This choice is yours.
3. Internet service choices.  If you want to use the Internet over the ECN, you will need to select an Integrity Broadband Plan
   1. Sign up with Integrity (who can provide a quality business grade Voice service as part of the Internet plan). Integrity will provide new phone numbers (if it is not possible to keep your existing telephone number as part of this service)
   2. Install you own system via fixed line Sign up with a third party Voice provider, and use your own equipment over the Broadband line. Note that you will need a Broadband Plan to do this.  Some of you may have existing Plans with external service providers and voice providers like” mynetfone”, so you can use this, or cancel it and move to Integrity’s plans.  IntegrityNet’s Voice system is included in each Broadband Plan.
4. TV Signals (also run over the ECN) to each home will remain on.
5. If you do not want to a fixed line phone from the major communications companies,  and want to use cheaper options you have two choices:

 

a.     If you want a more reliable and higher quality Voice phone line, we recommend the Integrity Voice system as it is a dedicated high bandwidth connection and uses our ONU equipment which has emergency power backup.  or

 

b.     If you already have a direct Internet connection with your own provider (e.g. Telstra or Internode) and you are paying for this service, and it runs over your phone line, then you can either:

1.  keep that service (i.e. do nothing)    or  

2.  select an ECN Integrity Plan, and then cancel your ADSL line  i.e. it will then be possible to avoid ‘Telstra’ service fees from then on! 

 

6.     ECN Generic Network Access Costs for all users:

The fees depend on the option you choose:

 

a)     Maintenance Fund

All users of the ECN pay $4.40 per month to help fund the on-going maintenance of the system. Remember that the ECN is an asset for your home, regardless of how extensively you use it.

 

b)     ECN Network access cost
If you elect to use the Broadband lines, this fee is charged to maintain this part of the fibre optic network and its associated communications room equipment. It is currently $15.50 per month. This will allow the ECN equipment to be maintained in years to come as it is used.

Hint:   Form 1 helps you to calculate the total costs.

 

 

If you need any advice on the ECN contact:

1.     IntegrityNet – Tel. 1300 884 337 or email sales@integritynet.com.au or support@integritynet.com.au

2.     ECN Implementation Liaison:    Ray Miller   Tel. 07 5598 7334

 

Notes:

a)   Please read this memo and other current information (e.g. updates from Landmatters re. the ECN and ECCO) carefully before raising queries.

b)    Upcoming Coffee-Connect and other events will also provide opportunities for   broader issue clarification (eg. Issues such as ECCO/ECN/IntegrityNet commercial relationships)

c)     It is expected that there may be an initial relatively busy period of queries. Please be patient as the ECN contact parties deal with such queries.

 

The Entities Involved:

There are three entities managing the ECN and its services:

1.     Ecovillage Community Company: ECCO – your community company, who will own the ECN network and manage/employ the other companies involved:

2.     24hrServices (Lawrence Radcliffe and co) 1300 736 076 – the ECN Maintenance Service Company i.e. they maintain the cables in the ground, the communications room equipment and the ONU’s at homes.

3.     IntegrityNet (Integrity Network Solutions Pty Ltd) – the new sole Internet Service Provider (ISP) for the ECN and Voice Services. 

 

Notes on IntegrityNet charges:

·        IntegrityNet will not charge a connection fee for the initial connection of the users if they already had an ECN connection on or before the ISP cut-over date.

 

·        IntegrityNet may charge a connection fee for new connections made after this date if

a) an onsite visit is required; or

b) more than 30 minutes labour is required to connect the service.  Integrity charge $66 per hour.

 

·        IntegrityNet will monitor the service and respond to faults 24/7, 365 days a year.

 

 

Regards

 

 

The Ecovillage Community Company (ECCO)

 

Background

The ECN uses contemporary communications technology to send data and voice communications over high speed fibre-optic cable.  The Ecovillage Community Company (ECCO) owns and operates the network for the Ecovillage residents. The system has been installed to provide us with more services, which should support our goal of achieving a far more sustainable community. Any profit made by ECCO stays within the community. Similarly ECCO must pay people to look after the network, and hence users need to pay service fees to cover these ongoing costs.

The $3,000 owners paid with their land contributed to building the ECN infrastructure.
It could not and does not cover ongoing costs, which the users of the services need to cover, whether they be owners or residents.

 

Reminder – cable your new home to prepare for the ECN

To ensure that your home can use the ECN, please ensure you and your builder use the PBN-20 ‘Communications Infrastructure Installation Manual’ to ensure your home can use the Ecovillage Communications Network. If your house is not connected correctly to the cables in the street then you will not be able to use the ECN until this is rectified.  Don’t risk being without ECN Phone services, TV reception, and a data connection – get it right from the start.

 

ECN Services

The ECN provides over 8 pieces of enhanced functionality:

1.     Digital and Analogue Television Signal via common communication room aerial.. You can now use digital set-top boxes and digital TVs to obtain better quality TV. There is no need for an external aerial on your house which saves everyone hundreds of dollars.

2.     Phone Calls – The ECN enables you access to cheaper phone calls (business grade quality, fax compatible and battery backed up)  with maximum of 2 lines per residence currently available. You will not need any extra equipment in your home apart from a standard phone handset plugged into your ONU (optical network unit). You may need a phone extension cable.  This means you can avoid having to pay an expensive Telstra line rental charge!  If you buy these services from Integrity, calls to other residents in the Ecovillage are free (if they are also using the ECN phone system).Please note existing phone numbers may or not be transferable by IntegrityNet see their documentation.

3.     Data Connection – the ECN provides you with a high speed data connection to enable computers to access the internet etc. The ECN activates this service on your ONU. To use the active port, you then pay the small monthly ECN Service Fee, and sign up to an ISP Plan.

4.     Radio –FM signals will be available via the ECN over the Coaxial output on the ONU. Access to this is via the coaxial splitter. You will need a separate output to your radio tuner.

5.     IMCS - The EcoVision Information Monitoring and Control System (IMCS) uses the ECN to transfer your home’s performance data to the central computer. EcoVision will set this up for you after you have selected your EcoVision model.

6.     Satellite Television – later, when financially viable, the ECN fibre-optic network may distribute some extra international ‘free-to-air’ satellite channels to connected residents. This means you could get free European and Asian television channels like normal channels on your TV (e.g. BBC World, CNN etc).

7.     Internal TV Stations –The ECN has the ability to operate its own internal TV station (channel) for residents. This could advertise things like events, co-op sales, and local businesses in the future.

8.     Video on Demand – the ECN can supply video on demand services to residents. If this is set up you will be able to access new movies and films, which will save you travelling to and from the video store!  Note that this is different to Pay TV.

 

Other ECN functions and value

9.     Body Corporate Function Support – The ECN will enhance the Body Corporate and Care Taker Manager’s ability to support residents. Electronic monitoring and other services can also be incorporated where necessary to improve security and reduce travel times.

10.  Revenue Stream – any profits made by ECCO from the operations will stay in the community. We are not running ECCO as a profit making venture currently, but it is nice to know we can use this entity, if we want to do this in the future.

11.  Value to Your Land – The ECN adds significant value to your home parcel. Standard homes do not have anything like the ECN so use this as a selling point (if you should ever want to sell your Ecovillage home).

12.  Integrity Network Services – you can access Integrity’s high grade ISP services using the ECN.  They are the selected ISP of the ECN and are installing their own equipment to service Ecovillage residents. Integrity charge fees for their ISP service (like any other ISP). We believe their fees are very reasonable and competitive.

 

Note that under their contract IntegrityNet are the only ISP who can provide broadband over the Ecovillage fibre-optic network. IntegrityNet include Voice services within their broadband packages. Community representatives have negotiated the packages to ensure that they represent good value for money.

The more that the community takes up Integrity’s services the lower the cost to the community and the more potential “profit” to the community in due course i.e. “profit” = profit / re-investable monies.  NB. On the other hand, the less their services are taken up the greater the risk of cost blow-outs to the community.

 

Optional and Extra Functionality

Security Systems can operate over the ECN. If you want to install a home security system please contact a local provider, or 24hrServices

Note that Security services may be operated over the ECN but are not managed or provided by the Ecovillage Community Company.

 

Non-ECN services

Telstra Phone line

Note that the ECN Voice phone system will be reliable so we don’t believe the average Ecovillage resident will need a Telstra line. However like many technical systems, the ECN may become unavailable on rare occasions e.g. in storms or while maintenance is being performed.

The ECN is expected to have over 99% availability, and Integrity’s Network is designed to be available for at least 99% of the time.  Speeds will be initially limited to 5Mbits but upgraded as the service is more utilised.

The ECN does not use or require a Telstra copper cable connection. However, by law, the ECN Voice phone system is not deemed an ‘essential’ service’. You may want an essential service if your household will have people who may need such a service e.g. elderly residents. Some residents may wish to connect to the ECN as basically their prime communications means but also have a Telstra line for comfort in respect of such matters.   Telstra is deemed fit for an ‘essential’ service so if you feel you need this, please contact Telstra directly.

 

PayTV

Pay TV is available via your standard local external provider.  Potential local providers include:

·        Austar www.austar.com.au

·        Foxtel www.foxtel.com.au 

·        Select www.selectv.com.

Other companies may also provide these services.

The ECN is in no way affiliated with any of these services.

The external PayTV providers will offer you standard pricing and installation.  If you proceed they will probably require you to install a satellite dish on your home. Note that because this is a change to the exterior of your house, you will need to have the location of the dish approved by the VDP before installation i.e. it needs to be below the ridgeline of your roof and in a location that reduces its visibility as much as physically possible.

 

PayTV is not provided or run over the Ecovillage Communications Network at this point in time. Demand was insufficient to warrant the cost of underground provision (which was assessed as exorbitantly expensive for the benefit it would provide to residents).

 

Recap - Who is who?

Integrity Network Solutions are the Internet Service Provider (ISP) of our Network.  They offer a range of data packages as detailed in the attached ‘Ecovillage Communications Network Voice and Data Plans by Integrity’..  We encourage you to take up this offer because the more people who use it, the cheaper the system will be for all of us, and the faster it will be upgraded to higher speeds.

 

If the Ecovillage keep using and supporting the ECN (and we have over 95% participation at the moment) then we can achieve good economies of scale and keep costs low and services high for everyone and/or begin to generate some profit for ECCO.

 

24hr Services are the maintenance and support provider of the Network. They installed the network that the Ecovillage Community Company will own on behalf of the whole community. They manage and support all non-ISP related issues via their call centre. 24hr Services will provide bills to you only if you initiate a query with them and it is not a generic ecovillage fault but an issue specific to your house or configuration.

 

Ecovillage Community Company (“ECCO”) – your community company, who will own the ECN network and manage/employ the other companies involved.  ECCO (Ecovillage Community Pty Ltd) will be handed over to the community shortly. It is currently managed by the developer who set it up.

 

Conclusion

We hope that you will enjoy and benefit from the services provided by the ECN.  If you have any issues with the ECN, please contact IntegrityNet in the first instance. If you do not get a satisfactory response please contact the Caretaker Manager or contact the Ecovillage Community Company representative.

 

Remember that if you are not satisfied with the ECN, you can connect your traditional Telstra cable at any time and use that instead. We do not promote this though due to the higher fees. We also like to ask that residents use the ECN in preference to other services, because it is in practice operated by the community, for the community.

 

For people not connecting immediately, the VillageHub http://www.villagehub.com.au has the latest information in Files – ECN.  If you are completing this form after March 2010, please download the latest forms from this site rather than completing the attached forms which could be out-of-date after this time.

 

Disclaimers

All care has been taken in the development of this document however it should not be used as advice about systems to cater for your own person circumstances, which differ for every individual. No responsibility can be taken for omission, errors or inaccuracies. The parties in this document disclaim all liability or loss in conjunction with any content provided here. We disclaim any liability for products or services recommended on the including any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, arising out of the use or the inability to use the materials/information published or products sold.

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