The Community Broadband Investment Act, introduced in the Georgia legislature in 2012 and 2013 is a reflection of a broader national debate over the role of government investment in broadband infrastructure. The bill would limit local governments' ability to invest in broadband infrastructure for their communities because of arguments that government entry into the telecommunications sector crowds-out private competition, does not serve the public adequately, and lacks a comprehensive business model or best practices. A closer look at the history of utility regulation and various economic perspectives on the proper government role in utility provision reveals that government has had an extensive historical role in utility infrastructure investment and regulation, and several economic doctrines support the conclusion that government can be helpful in facilitating effective broadband service to their communities. Case studies of different models of municipal broadband networks in Georgia reveal that government entry can facilitate private sector competition, often provides quality service, and has a set of best practices. The success of municipal broadband reveals an evolution in the approach to telecommunications regulation from a regulated monopoly approach to a public-private cooperation approach which considers public participation with private entities on a dynamic scale. Government-entry into the broadband market was a rational decision for several Georgia communities due to their unique set of circumstances, and while municipal broadband may not be the answer to many communities' problems with meeting public demand, communities should be allowed to maintain flexibility in their decision-making about how to best serve their residents, effectively allowing them to decide which combination of public and private advantages they can leverage to meet the demand of their communities in relation to their unique local characteristics.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / abstract / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / The need for broadband network access is experiencing rapid growth, but what is currently available is not sufficient. Copper-based technologies cannot address the requirements of today's bandwidth-intensive Internet applications. End-users in the "last mile" demand access speeds equivalent to those supported by fiber optics backbone networks, although, the cost and time associated with its installation are prohibitive factors for bringing fiber to every home and business. This results in the well-known "last mile access problem," which prevents the Internet from reaching its full potential, and has paved the way for the development of many innovative technologies. Driven by demands for more bandwidth, wireless broadband technologies have been proposed. This thesis provides an investigation of two candidates to address the lack of adequate bandwidth in the "last mile," Free Space Optics (FSO), and the IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN) standard. FSO uses optical signals to deliver information at extremely high data rates, more quickly and cost-effectively than fiber systems. The IEEE 802.11 standard uses radio technology to transfer data. They both use license-free frequency bands for transmission through the atmosphere. They both are quickly deployable, easily scalable, and cheaper than wired solutions, characteristics able to support applications requiring high bandwidth and a high degree of mobility. / Lieutenant Commander, Hellenic Navy

by Chi-yin Tse. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-[121]). / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Video Compression and Transport --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- VBR-CBR Adaptation of Video Traffic --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Contributions --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Spatial Smoothing: Video Aggregation --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Temporal Smoothing: A Control-Theoretic Study。 --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- Organization of Thesis --- p.9 / Chapter 2 --- Preliminaries --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1 --- MPEG Compression Scheme --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2 --- Problems of Transmitting MPEG Video --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3 --- Two-layer Coding and Transport Strategy --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Framework of MPEG-based Layering --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Transmission of GS and ES --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Problems of Two-layer Video Transmission --- p.20 / Chapter 3 --- Video Aggregation --- p.24 / Chapter 3.1 --- Motivation and Basic Concept of Video Aggregation --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Description of Video Aggregation --- p.28 / Chapter 3.2 --- MPEG Video Aggregation System --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Shortcomings of the MPEG Video Bundle Scenario with Two-Layer Coding and Cell-Level Multiplexing --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- MPEG Video Aggregation --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- MPEG Video Aggregation System Architecture --- p.33 / Chapter 3.3 --- Variations of MPEG Video Aggregation System --- p.35 / Chapter 3.4 --- Experimental Results --- p.38 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Comparison of Video Aggregation and Cell-level Multi- plexing --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Varying Amount of the Allocated Bandwidth --- p.48 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Varying Number of Sequences --- p.50 / Chapter 3.5 --- Conclusion --- p.53 / Chapter 3.6 --- Appendix: Alternative Implementation of MPEG Video Aggre- gation --- p.53 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Profile Approach --- p.54 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Bit-Plane Approach --- p.54 / Chapter 4 --- A Control-Theoretic Study of Video Traffic Adaptation --- p.58 / Chapter 4.1 --- Review of Previous Adaptation Schemes --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- A Generic Model for Adaptation Scheme --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Objectives of Adaptation Controller --- p.61 / Chapter 4.2 --- Motivation for Control-Theoretic Study --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3 --- Linear Feedback Controller Model --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Encoder Model --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Adaptation Controller Model --- p.69 / Chapter 4.4 --- Analysis --- p.72 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Stability --- p.73 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Robustness against Coding-mode Switching --- p.83 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Unit-Step Responses and Unit-Sample Responses --- p.84 / Chapter 4.5 --- Implementation --- p.91 / Chapter 4.6 --- Experimental Results --- p.95 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- Overall Performance of the Adaptation Scheme --- p.97 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Weak-Control verus Strong-Control --- p.99 / Chapter 4.6.3 --- Varying Amount of Reserved Bandwidth --- p.101 / Chapter 4.7 --- Conclusion --- p.103 / Chapter 4.8 --- Appendix I: Further Research --- p.103 / Chapter 4.9 --- Appendix II: Review of Previous Adaptation Schemes --- p.106 / Chapter 4.9.1 --- Watanabe. et. al.'s Scheme --- p.106 / Chapter 4.9.2 --- MPEG's Scheme --- p.107 / Chapter 4.9.3 --- Lee et.al.'s Modification --- p.109 / Chapter 4.9.4 --- Chen's Adaptation Scheme --- p.110 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.116 / Bibliography --- p.118

by Shum Kam Hong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-131). / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Outline of the thesis --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Current Art in Packet Switching --- p.9 / Chapter 2 --- Management of Control Information --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1 --- Inter-node Exchange of Link Congestion Status --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2 --- Consistency of Control Information --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Alternate Format of Control Information --- p.26 / Chapter 3 --- Traffic Flow Control --- p.29 / Chapter 3.1 --- Control of Traffic Influx into the Network --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2 --- Control of Traffic Loading from the Node --- p.30 / Chapter 3.3 --- Flow Control for Connection Oriented Traffic --- p.32 / Chapter 3.4 --- Judgement of Link Status --- p.38 / Chapter 3.5 --- Starvation-free and Deadlock-free --- p.42 / Chapter 4 --- Call Set-up Algorithm Traffic Modelling --- p.47 / Chapter 4.1 --- Basic Algorithm --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2 --- Minimization of Bandwidth Overhead --- p.48 / Chapter 4.3 --- Two-way Transmission --- p.51 / Chapter 4.4 --- Traffic Modelling --- p.52 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Aggregate Traffic Models --- p.53 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Traffic Burstiness --- p.57 / Chapter 5 --- Parameters Tuning and Analysis --- p.76 / Chapter 5.1 --- Scheme I : Scout Pumping --- p.76 / Chapter 5.2 --- Scheme II : Speed-up Scout Pumping --- p.85 / Chapter 5.3 --- Blocking Probability --- p.90 / Chapter 5.4 --- Scout Stream Collision --- p.92 / Chapter 6 --- Simulation Modelling & Performance Evaluation --- p.96 / Chapter 6.1 --- The Network Simulator --- p.96 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Simulation Event Scheduling --- p.97 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Input Traffic Regulation --- p.100 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Actual Offered Load --- p.101 / Chapter 6.1.4 --- Static and Dynamic Parameters --- p.103 / Chapter 6.2 --- Simulation Results --- p.107 / Chapter 7 --- Conclusions --- p.123 / Chapter A --- List of Symbols --- p.132

by Yeung Ming Sang. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-[201]). / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Broadband Integrated Services Network --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- ATM Switching Technology --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2 --- Broadband ATM Switching ´ؤ A Review --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Shared Memory Switches --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Shared Medium Switches --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Space-division Type Switches --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Motivation and Contributions --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Overview of the Thesis --- p.13 / Chapter 2 --- Pipeline Banyan Switch Architecture --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1 --- Switch Architecture --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2 --- Switch Operation --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3 --- Switch Design --- p.19 / Chapter 2.4 --- "Priority, Broadcasting and Multicasting Mechanisms" --- p.21 / Chapter 2.5 --- Switch Speed Reduction at the Control Plane --- p.23 / Chapter 3 --- Performance Evaluation of Pipeline Banyan --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1 --- Performance under Uniform and Independent Traffic Pattern --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Analysis of Packet Loss Performance --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Throughput Performance --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Delay Performance --- p.36 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Comparison of Loss Performance of Banyan-type Networks --- p.37 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Output Queueing Capability --- p.41 / Chapter 3.2 --- Performance of the Switch under Special Traffic Pattern --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Performance under Bursty Traffic --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Performance under Hot Spot Traffic --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Performance under Point-to-Point Traffic --- p.51 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Performance under Permutation Traffic --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3 --- Switch Complexity Discussion --- p.54 / Chapter 4 --- Multi-Channel Pipeline Banyan (MCPB) --- p.57 / Chapter 4.1 --- Background --- p.57 / Chapter 4.2 --- Switch Architecture --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3 --- Performance Evaluation --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Packet loss probability --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Throughput performance --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Delay performance --- p.69 / Chapter 4.4 --- Application of MCPB --- p.71 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- ATM Cross-connect --- p.71 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Switch Interconnection Fabric --- p.71 / Chapter 5 --- VLSI Implementation --- p.75 / Chapter 5.1 --- Outline of a typical ATM switching system --- p.75 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Line Interface Module --- p.75 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- System Manager Module --- p.77 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Switch Module --- p.78 / Chapter 5.2 --- "VLSI Design Technology, Procedures and Tools" --- p.78 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Design Technology --- p.78 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Procedures and Tools --- p.79 / Chapter 5.3 --- Logic Design of ATM Switch Module --- p.80 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Switching Element in Control Plane --- p.80 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Switching Element in Data Plane --- p.86 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Clock Generator for Synchronization --- p.93 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Schematic of Control Plane --- p.98 / Chapter 5.3.5 --- Schematic of Data Plane --- p.98 / Chapter 5.3.6 --- Timing Diagrams --- p.98 / Chapter 5.4 --- Chip Summary --- p.107 / Chapter 5.5 --- Experiences --- p.109 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Core Size Limitation --- p.109 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Pin Count Limitation --- p.110 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Speed Limitation --- p.111 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- Other Design Considerations --- p.111 / Chapter 5.6 --- Discussions --- p.112 / Chapter 6 --- Dynamic Priority Schemes for Fast Packet Switches --- p.114 / Chapter 6.1 --- Motivation --- p.114 / Chapter 6.2 --- Switch Architecture --- p.118 / Chapter 6.3 --- QCPD: Queueing Controlled Priority Discipline --- p.121 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Algorithm QCPD --- p.121 / Chapter 6.4 --- BCPD: Blocking Controlled Priority Discipline --- p.122 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Algorithm BCPD_FT --- p.122 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Delay Guarantee by Algorithm BCPD_FT --- p.123 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Algorithm BCPD_DT --- p.126 / Chapter 6.4.4 --- Delay Guarantee by Algorithm BCPD_DT --- p.128 / Chapter 6.5 --- HCPD: Hybrid Controlled Priority Discipline --- p.134 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Algorithms HCPD_FT and HCPD_DT --- p.135 / Chapter 6.6 --- Performance Studies --- p.136 / Chapter 6.6.1 --- Performance Comparison of the Priority Schemes --- p.136 / Chapter 6.6.2 --- Cell Loss Performance of HCPD_DT --- p.140 / Chapter 6.6.3 --- Input Queue Distribution of HCPD_DT --- p.142 / Chapter 6.6.4 --- Delay Bound of HCPD_DT --- p.144 / Chapter 6.6.5 --- Performance of HCPD_DT under Priority Traffic --- p.148 / Chapter 6.7 --- The use of HCPD_DT in Pipeline Banyan --- p.152 / Chapter 6.8 --- Conclusion --- p.153 / Chapter 7 --- Summary and Future Work --- p.155 / Chapter 7.1 --- Summary --- p.155 / Chapter 7.2 --- Future Work --- p.156 / Chapter A --- Verilog HDL descriptions of 16x16 Pipeline Banyan --- p.158 / Chapter B --- User's Guide of 16x16 Pipeline Banyan Chip Set --- p.182 / Chapter B.l --- Specification --- p.182 / Chapter B.2 --- Control Plane Chip and Data Plane Chip Pinout --- p.183 / Chapter B.2.1 --- Control Plane Chip Pinout --- p.183 / Chapter B.2.2 --- Data Plane Chip Pinout --- p.183 / Chapter B.3 --- Signal Descriptions --- p.186 / Chapter B.3.1 --- Signal Descriptions of Control Plane Chip --- p.186 / Chapter B.3.2 --- Signal Descriptions of Data Plane Chip --- p.187 / Chapter B.4 --- Connection Examples --- p.188 / Bibliography --- p.191

by Su Chao. / Publication date on spine: 1996. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-[165]). / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Objective of Study --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- The Applications of Burst-Mode Receivers in Optical Networks --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4 --- Preview of Chapters --- p.9 / Chapter 2 --- Theory of Optical Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2 --- Comparison of Continuous and Burst-Mode Data --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3 --- Models for Conventional and Burst-Mode Receiver --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- A Conventional Receiver Model --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- A Burst-Mode Receiver Model --- p.22 / Chapter 2.4 --- Threshold Variations in Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Threshold Setting for a Burst-Mode Receiver --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Degradations of Burst-Mode Receivers Due to the Adap- tive Threshold Setting --- p.26 / Chapter 2.5 --- Theory of BER Performance for Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- BER Performances for Uncoded and Encoded Input Signals --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Simulation of Error Performance for Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.33 / Chapter 2.6 --- Extinction Ratio Consideration for Burst-Mode Receiver --- p.35 / Chapter 2.7 --- Consideration of Network Capacity Penalty --- p.36 / Chapter 2.8 --- Experimental Results for Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.39 / Chapter 2.8.1 --- BER Measurement Consideration --- p.39 / Chapter 2.8.2 --- Threshold Offset Consideration for Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.41 / Chapter 2.9 --- Chapter Summary --- p.43 / Chapter 3 --- Fast Clock Recovery for Burst-Mode Receivers --- p.55 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2 --- Techniques Overview for Fast Clock Recovery --- p.57 / Chapter 3.3 --- Fast Phase Recovery Using Global Clock With Correlator --- p.60 / Chapter 3.4 --- Rapid Clock Recovery Using Narrow-Band Quenched Filter --- p.65 / Chapter 3.5 --- Instantaneous Phase Synchronization Using Gated-Oscillators With PLL --- p.70 / Chapter 3.6 --- Chapter Summary --- p.73 / Chapter 4 --- Multi-Level Signaling and Multi-Level Burst-Mode Receiver --- p.84 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2 --- Baseband M-ary Signaling and Its Transmission in Band-Limited Channels --- p.87 / Chapter 4.3 --- Power Spectrum of Digital Multi-Level Baseband Signal --- p.90 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Power Spectrum of Transmission Line Code --- p.90 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Power Spectrum of Multi-Level Line Code --- p.91 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Power Spectra for NRZI and MLT3 Line Codes --- p.93 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Reduction of DC Component --- p.96 / Chapter 4.4 --- Error Probability of MLT-N Code Using Maximum-Likelihood Sequence Detector --- p.98 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Overview Maximum-Likelihood Sequence Detector --- p.98 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Error Probabilities of NRZI and MLT3 --- p.100 / Chapter 4.5 --- Multi-level Burst-Mode Receiver for Multiaccess LANs --- p.103 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- A Survey of Conventional MLT3 Receiver --- p.103 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Multi-level Burst-Mode Receiver for Metallic Cable --- p.105 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Multi-Level Burst-Mode Receiver for Optical Fiber Cable --- p.109 / Chapter 4.6 --- Chapter Summary --- p.111 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion and Future Work --- p.123 / Chapter 5.1 --- Conclusion --- p.123 / Chapter 5.2 --- Future Work --- p.125 / Bibliography --- p.127 / Chapter A --- p.137 / Chapter A.1 --- Supervisory System for Long-Hauled Transmission Systems Using EDFAs --- p.137 / Chapter A.1.1 --- An Overview of System Reliability in Undersea Telecom- munications --- p.138 / Chapter A.1.2 --- Supervisory Signal Transmission in ED FA Systems --- p.139 / Chapter B --- p.146 / Chapter B.1 --- BER Performances for Uncoded and Encoded Data --- p.146 / Chapter B.2 --- mBnB Encoder Table --- p.148 / Chapter B.3 --- Power Penalty Due to Extinction Ratio --- p.150 / Chapter B.4 --- Threshold Offset and Pulse Width Distortion --- p.151 / Chapter B.5 --- Q-function --- p.152 / Chapter C --- p.153 / Chapter C.1 --- BER Performance Using Correlator --- p.153 / Chapter C.2 --- Clock Performance Using Quenched Filter --- p.154 / Chapter C.3 --- BER Performance Using Quenched filter --- p.157 / Chapter D --- p.158 / Chapter D.1 --- """Bit-Stuffing Precoder" --- p.158 / Chapter D.2 --- Threshold Placement of Multilevel Optical Receiver --- p.159 / Chapter E --- List of Publications --- p.164

by Chan Ho Chow. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-67). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Background --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1. --- Packet Loss in the Internet --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2. --- Shared Internet --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3. --- Video Streaming --- p.10 / Chapter 2.4. --- Real-time video transmission criteria --- p.11 / Chapter 2.5. --- Existing Video Streaming Protocol --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) --- p.16 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Variable-rate Streaming TCP (VarS-TCP) --- p.22 / Chapter 4.1. --- General Idea --- p.22 / Chapter 4.2. --- Assumptions --- p.25 / Chapter 4.3. --- VarS-TCP Algorithm --- p.26 / Chapter 4.3.1. --- Connection Initialization --- p.26 / Chapter 4.3.2. --- Normal Data Transfer --- p.27 / Chapter 4.4. --- Skipping packets in TCP --- p.32 / Chapter 4.4.1. --- Types of skipped packet --- p.32 / Chapter 4.4.2. --- Acknowledging skipped packets --- p.34 / Chapter 4.4.3. --- Maintaining Normal Data Flow --- p.35 / Chapter 4.4.4. --- Congestion Control --- p.37 / Chapter 4.4.5. --- Packets skipped by receiver --- p.41 / Chapter 4.5. --- Rebuffering --- p.44 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Simulation Result --- p.45 / Chapter 5.1. --- Accumulating Data --- p.46 / Chapter 5.2. --- Delay Constraints --- p.48 / Chapter 5.3. --- Adapting network situation --- p.50 / Chapter 5.4. --- Sharing bandwidth with TCP --- p.52 / Chapter 5.5. --- Random Traffic --- p.58 / Chapter 5.6. --- Effect of packet skip threshold --- p.59 / Chapter 5.7. --- Effect of round-trip-time --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion and Future Works --- p.63 / Bibliography --- p.65