Why should I pay a premium for a 64Kbps circuit that takes a extra pair of condition copper when I can use a modem over the analog system at 1/2 the speed and now by 56K modems.
I agree. Of course that copper wire can be very noisy rendering 56k useless. But then again not everyone can get ISDN (or afford it) so at the moment 56k is it for the masses. I consider myself fortunate that US West (by demand of the local PSC) dropped the prices on ISDN.
Do you have any idea how much money it will require to replace that "ancient copper"? What do you propose it be replaced with; fiber?
I know it would be very expensive, but keep in mind the competition is heating up for bandwith and IMO the internet is not going to die, but continue to grow so there are big payoff's for providers of high bandwith. As for the AT&T proposal of fiber to the curb, I think it was premature, but if the net was around then perhaps it would have happened?
Do you look at the balance sheet's of the ROBC's? They certainly don't make the money that MSFT does. They pour it back into the service. It doesn't run itself. When was the last time your phone didn't work?
Well US West total revenue for 1996 was $10 billion, Bell South's was $19 billion. MSFT's total revenue for 1996 was 8.6 billion. MSFT's operating income was $3 billion, Bell South's was $4.8 billion. I surely hope the RBOC's are building their infrastructure and I'm sure they are. With that in mind, and noting the billions they have, why is it they have been belly aching to the FCC to get ISP's to pay fee's to access their networks? Remember the public outcry, and the flood of emails the FCC received condemming the act? Yes the RBOC's are making big money, and my local RBOC wants more $$ from us, to the tune of a $10 increase for our local service. The public is outraged! We all know how great they are doing financially, and how many of them profit making second phone lines they have installed.
As for the phone not working, funny I asked that same question to my cable (TCI) company while experiencing one of the many frequent cable outages I have to deal with. I told them my phone service was not down and in fact it's never down! The reply was maybe a truck hit a utility pole! <GG> TCI is pathetic! Period. Sure they have some Cable modem trials going on but how do they intend to pay for the infrastructure upgrade required to supply the masses with high bandwith?
As for Chairman Billion Dollar $ill, Teledesic is outdated before the "birds" fly. That's when it comes home to roost my friend, when McCaw takes $ill to the woodshed and explain the facts of life about the laws of Physics.
You being a Satellite guy, you have more knowledge in this area than I do. But I don't believe Gates is an idiot and has no desire to flush money down a toilet. I need to study the Satellite issue more but don't you suppose Bill has plenty of technical advisers who know physics reporting to him?
As to what does the browser or software have to do with it. Two simple examples:
As to your comments here concerning browsers I'll wait to see if any of the Software engineers on the thread respond. I like the idea you bring up about economizing bandwith, I just don't know the technical aspects of it or the possibilities.
Derek |
