Broadband in Lebanon - Latest Updates

ISP: Terranet
Exchange: Bekaa-ali el nahri
Package: 256 kbps
local latency: 50 ms (12:15 PM)

amkahal wroteAfter they install the fiber optics, i think we will notice a decrease in latency between our computers and the ISPs servers, which is a decrease in the overall latency.

Note: these days, the latency between my computer(Bekaa), and Terranet (Beirut) is ~42 ms. maybe it become 20 ms or lower after the Fiber Opt.

Plz guys, post ur local latency to make a general view about "Lebanon's local latency" and compare it after the "fiber optics installation".
(Ping ur ISP concentrator, be sure that ur DOWN/UP Activity is ~0 kbps to get good results)

ehh, noob question, how do I ping my ISP?

do a tracert , and ping the ip add after ur router ip add, maybe u can post the tracert result and i will tell u which to ping.

Fiber optic would decrease to less than 5 the internal ping or something like that, remember that it should be traveling at the speed of light.

just LOL.

The index of refraction of a typical optical fiber is about 1.48. Light in that medium travels at about 2/3 c. Also light doesn't necessarily take a linear path through the fiber. Add to that the latency in the transducer circuits at each end. The velocity factor for data cables ranges from 0.4 to 0.7, 0.8 for coaxial and twin-lead transmission lines, and 0.95 for ladder lines. For standard category 5 data cable, it's 0.64. Any difference between that and fiber is mostly interface circuitry, router delay, and so on. None of the speeds are greater than the speed of light in vacuum.

nuclearcat wrotejust LOL.

The index of refraction of a typical optical fiber is about 1.48. Light in that medium travels at about 2/3 c. Also light doesn't necessarily take a linear path through the fiber. Add to that the latency in the transducer circuits at each end. The velocity factor for data cables ranges from 0.4 to 0.7, 0.8 for coaxial and twin-lead transmission lines, and 0.95 for ladder lines. For standard category 5 data cable, it's 0.64. Any difference between that and fiber is mostly interface circuitry, router delay, and so on. None of the speeds are greater than the speed of light in vacuum.

exactly , in more simple terms , the data travels inside the cable at the speed of light ok , but it is limited by the machines on both ends acting like transmitters and receivers on the line . all the data on the fiber optic cable is transformed back into electric pulses when it renters the terminals .

jadberro wrote

nuclearcat wrotejust LOL.

The index of refraction of a typical optical fiber is about 1.48. Light in that medium travels at about 2/3 c. Also light doesn't necessarily take a linear path through the fiber. Add to that the latency in the transducer circuits at each end. The velocity factor for data cables ranges from 0.4 to 0.7, 0.8 for coaxial and twin-lead transmission lines, and 0.95 for ladder lines. For standard category 5 data cable, it's 0.64. Any difference between that and fiber is mostly interface circuitry, router delay, and so on. None of the speeds are greater than the speed of light in vacuum.

exactly , in more simple terms , the data travels inside the cable at the speed of light ok , but it is limited by the machines on both ends acting like transmitters and receivers on the line . all the data on the fiber optic cable is transformed back into electric pulses when it renters the terminals .

the story of my life

On my own experience, poorly done fiber will perform worse than copper. If insulation of cables done bad, on bad weather they will have drop on some wavelengthes, if this cable used on many wavelengths. If length of cable made improperly and there is no reserve, on hot weather cable done, on cold - cable will shrink, and or tear or become strained as a string (and will not perform ok too), which result in no connection at cold weather. Damage of insulation during work and leakage of hydrophobic filling will result of cable aging in 1 year, instead 10-15 years.
I hope they do it proper, not Lebanese way.

I am swearing after changing water tap, they did here pipes in wall so uncarefully, that pipes in wall was laying on different depth. As result they used workaround on workaround, such as excessive amount of insulation tape to rise the depth of connections and different adapters on each pipe, that made my new GROHE tap VERY difficult to install.

Or anything complicated that should be assembled - sold in supermarket that is A MUST will have missing parts. If you buy in Lebanon even very expensive things, something will miss a box, even it is sealed. Lack of QC at all.

I am not talking about electricity here in houses, where is phase always connected to lamps and they are cutting null wire by switches. LOL and sigh.

And thats what i am working hard, to change. People should do their work properly, not "yalla hob, yalla hob, yalla, done, oops fixed, oops fixed, oops fixed".

nuclearcat wrotejust LOL.

The index of refraction of a typical optical fiber is about 1.48. Light in that medium travels at about 2/3 c. Also light doesn't necessarily take a linear path through the fiber. Add to that the latency in the transducer circuits at each end. The velocity factor for data cables ranges from 0.4 to 0.7, 0.8 for coaxial and twin-lead transmission lines, and 0.95 for ladder lines. For standard category 5 data cable, it's 0.64. Any difference between that and fiber is mostly interface circuitry, router delay, and so on. None of the speeds are greater than the speed of light in vacuum.

that's why i said ~20 ms :)

Yorgi wroteI Don't want to wait till 2011 to experience the fast internet again. I am totally optimistic for the time being and i guess that things will go great and as expected from now on.

Not to mention the expected 24h/24h Electricity that they're advertising for recently on TV's...
We finally rode the train. And we're moving fast now.

All Aboard the Fail Express!!! Full Speed Ahead! :D


But seriously, I just hope the new Fiber Optics will help reduce Local Latencies n remove the Bottleneck of the IMEWE which(hopefull) should be ready in 2011.... after years of Suffering.. i hope it ain't all just talk(which unfortunately always usually is -_-) which will cause the continuation of the Suffering D:

About that picture of Ogero installing the fiber optics ... why on Earth did they cut through the van's metal door if they can just open the door ?

In case of work during the raining(emergency repair)... with open door they will swim there after 5 min like in aquarium.

FYI, the installation of the fiber cables is not done down under, they are literally pumped ! and all the work happens from the van . the cable is inserted in its dedicated hole inside the underground pipe then it is moved inside by high air pressure that's pumped along , this thrusts the cable inside its dedicated pipe until it reaches its destination . Technology known as blown fiber .

jadberro wroteFYI, the installation of the fiber cables is not done down under, they are literally pumped ! and all the work happens from the van . the cable is inserted in its dedicated hole inside the underground pipe then it is moved inside by high air pressure that's pumped along , this thrusts the cable inside its dedicated pipe until it reaches its destination . Technology known as blown fiber .

So this was the source of all that noise coming out of that van !

Thanks for the information, but many questions arise. When you say underground pipes what are you talking about? It sounds like you are saying we have a to notch system of pipes running underground !
As we all know we don't have a good infrastructure so I'm wondering how are they installing the "pipes" ?
I'm afraid that what is going upper ground (when you're walking in the streets and you see an electricity pole with 1.000.000 cable over it in all directions) is going underground.

Flakk wrote

chosen2k wroteThanks for the information, but many questions arise. When you say underground pipes what are you talking about? It sounds like you are saying we have a to notch system of pipes running underground !

Actually we do. The Telephone infrastructure is made of dedicated underground pipes that the standard copper cables used to run through. Now they are installing the fiber cables into these same pipes.
Now i don't know if these exist in every part of Lebanon but i think its mostly in Beirut and Tripoli and most of the urban areas.

I dont think they are using the same pipes as the copper cables are, as they are too thick to fit and will end up damaging the copper cables (Personal experience with some ISP).
I think what they must be doing is using those pipes until reaching the nodes, then those nodes would convert from fiber optic to copper and send those cables from each node to the final user, thats what I think they must be doing, There is also a local company here called "intercable" that sends fiber optic all the way to the underground pipes of residential streets and converts it there to copper cable, which in my opinion decreases the performance.