Steven,
I'd like to address your points one by one at some point, but first let me
say that that was some post! Thanks.
I'm concerned that we may begin to detract from the ethos of the Last
Mile at this point, if we continue along on this topic without keeping it
relevant to SP LM provisions. While it could be argued that this topic of
AOL's status and classification is tangentially related to the LM, it pierces
a whole nuther realm which may be suitable for a thread of its own. But
lets continue until the wheel begins to squeak.
Does AOL differ materially in their makeup and agenda (in areas other
than their speed of delivery and the media over which they transport) from
other SPs such as RR and ATHM? Can what is said about AOL be said
also about the other two I've just mentioned?
In other words, are AOL, ATHM and RR all in the same general
classification of provider, whatever that classification winds up being,
when all is said and done? For example, it is widely accepted that ATHM
operates an intranet, very much like a private IP backbone network, with
gateways to the outside 'net. Not sure about RR. Is this also characteristic
of AOL, and suitable cause to classify them as being in the same niche?
(If you can call anything the size of AOL's space a niche...)
Of course, there is a more curiouser, but less obviouse, point to all of
this: What if the FCC reverses itself and agrees to the wishes of the
greater number of ISPs, and decides to open up cable to the 'net at large,
only to exclude AOL due to its not being one of the eligibles?
Regards, Frank Coluccio |
