Progress Report (May 2008) - Rapport sur mon progrès

Just a quick progress report. I've been quiet about the project for the previous few months but I'm still pushing forward.

1. Funds
   I should have most, if not all the money set aside that I need to run fibre to all the homes in the residence using the existing conduit. I'm planning on installing point-to-point connections to each home and terminating them in small box inside each garage. The future service provider will only have to run their own cables from the box in the garage to the modem in the house when they do their initial install.

   We added a bit more to the fund last month when we bought a newer used car and sold our old one. I put the money from selling the old one directly into the fiber pot. We didn't get much but I figure it will be good enough to fiber one or two homes.

2. Registering the company in France
   This step has been a real killer. I don't think the process is very complicated but there are legal terms and ideas that I don't understand well. We had a lawyer friend's family over this evening and he helped me go through the application and fill in the parts I was missing. In summary, I'm going with an SARL and will elect to collect and pay VAT because it's worthwhile to not have to pay VAT myself when we install the network. I've also decided to pay someone to set up the company for me given my workload at my day job. I spoke with my lawyer friend and he's arranging to have someone take care of it for not much more than it would cost if I did it myself.

3. Elections
   There's a new mayor in town and her party complained about broadband at some point during the election. As soon as the company is registered then I'll make an appointment with her and talk about the planned civil works in town. I want to be putting my own infrastructure in every time someone comes along and digs up a road.

4. Installation
   I've left several messages with Draka Comteq here in France but haven't received a response about them possibly doing the installation. I have the money ready and now I need to find a company with expertise who can install the fibre through the existing conduit in the residence. I not too worried that they haven't called back since I can contact them more formally once I have the company completely set up.

My lack of posts doesn't reflect diminished interest in the project. Indeed, I think now is a better time than ever to put fiber down. Plus, I'll need it in the future when I ask my job if they'll let me telework a day or two a week.