ADSL over Microwave link...?

[Debtcollector]

Hi Guys,

I recently bough a house with a Vodacom Cell base station on the property. When looking at the Cell phone equipment in the garage, I noted that there are 3 large metal enclosures. One being a battery backup system. The other one is the actual cell phone base station. The third a clearly marked as Telkom property.

From the Telkom box there are wires running to the Vodacom box and to a microwave dish on my roof. This is obviously the backbone link, linking the cell phone equipment to Telkom core network.

Would it be possible to get an internet connection via this link? The wireless radio connecting to the dish has got an Ethernet port on it. I am a 4 Mbps ADSL subscriber, but I had to throttle the connection to 1Mbps to get it stable.

I know the simple answer will be that it is not possible, but I am sure if I get in contact with the right person anything is possible.

Thanks

 

[Nerfherder]

Ha ha !

 

[ColinR]

Someone would be very unhappy! The link may not even break out onto the internet - but I suppose the tower is providing an internet connection..

Sad to think that all that bandwidth is so close.... yet so far

 

[Roman4604]

The wireless radio connecting to the dish has got an Ethernet port on it.

I would say no.

While it may look like Ethernet (similar cable & RJ45 connectors) its actually a 2Mbps E1 link. Yes it does carry IP data (for GPRS/3G) but its buried deep below layers of cellular control protocols.

 

[ponder]

I would say no.

While it may look like Ethernet (similar cable & RJ45 connectors) its actually a 2Mbps E1 link. Yes it does carry IP data (for GPRS/3G) but its buried deep below layers of cellular control protocols.

+1

 

[Nerfherder]

If you could just link in to their backbone most of us would be doing it already.

 

[Debtcollector]

Lol yeah...

The Telkom Wireless radio even has a sticker with the units IP address. It's a NAT address unfortunately (It starts with 10.x.x.x) None of the boxes has locks on them. Maybe I should humour myself and plug my laptop into the ethernet port and see if I can dial my ISP via PPPOE...

 

[Roman4604]

It's a NAT address unfortunately (It starts with 10.x.x.x)

That is probably just the management IP address of the radio modem (for remote config/stats). Its probably part of a private mgmt net and I doubt it will get you to the Internet.

 

[ponder]

The Telkom Wireless radio even has a sticker with the units IP address. It's a NAT address unfortunately (It starts with 10.x.x.x)

That's for management of the device. Telkom has a internal network dedicated for management/monitoring of all their telco equipement, it's called TMNet and uses 10. addressing. There is no internet on that network, sorry for you

 

[Roman4604]

Out of interest Debtcollector, aren't you getting any site rental income from Vodacom?

If so, dicking with the equip could put that in jeopardy.

 

[Debtcollector]

Yes I do get rental, But only a very small amount.
Not even enough to pay for my ADSL line rental.
Maybe I should chat to to the guys at Vodacom. Maybe they can keep the rental money and give me uncapped internet instead... Wishfull thinking...

 

[Roman4604]

Yes I do get rental, But only a very small amount.
Not even enough to pay for my ADSL line rental.

Sounds like a bit of a raw deal, but suppose it depends on the traffic (profit) generated by 'your' basestation.

 

[Sting]

Rather speak to Telkom as it appears to be one of their sites that Vodacom leases from them.

 

[Roman4604]

Rather speak to Telkom as it appears to be one of their sites that Vodacom leases from them.

Err ... I think you need to re-read the OP. Its pretty obvious who's the landlord, tenant & backhaul provider.

 

[Sting]

Err ... I think you need to re-read the OP. Its pretty obvious who's the landlord, tenant & backhaul provider.

If he PM's me the site name I will be able to end all our assumptions.

/and I did read his OP thoroughly first time round. Even the part about the tie cable...

 

[Roman4604]

end all our assumptions.

but Debtcollector has already confirmed he recieves site rental from Vodacom ...

Maybe I should chat to to the guys at Vodacom. Maybe they can keep the rental money and give me uncapped internet instead... Wishfull thinking...

 

[Sting]

VC may have signed the site lease but the equipment side? Why has telkom got microwave network monitoring equipment on site? Sounds like a classic minilink 23E deployment. If it were a full VC site then no telkom equipment would be present. If the landlord wants to make a plan for fast broadband, then he should talk to telkom as they definitely are the backhaul provider to the site.

/and he won't succeed...

 

[Roman4604]

If it were a full VC site then no telkom equipment would be present.

The overwhelming majority of VC's (& the other NMO' s) backhaul links are contracted from Telkom, with the exception of some major metro areas where they have their own fibre rings or microwave nets.

How do you think VC connect their 1000s of basestations spread across the country? They and the other MNOs have no other option, there just isnt anything else.

And its big business for Telkom. Even though these NMO backhaul links are highly discounted, Telkom made R983 mil in the last 6 months providing them (as per their latest interim results).

Thats a lot of E1 links.

 

[Sting]

I sort of know all this...

 

[Roman4604]

I sort of know all this...

Then is should be apparent to you why you'd find Telkom equip/links at VC (leased) highsites/basestations.