Rascal, re. BB vs dial up sub values. Jay's post might have implied that BB subs spend more time online and that might be true, I don't know. However, what I do know is that BB connectivity enables users to download greater volumes of data than does dial up.....for the record, I'm assuming a 1 to 1 ratio of time online for both, the dial up and the BB subs. So, how can ATHM capitalize on this? It appears to me that you have both assumed that ATHM is going to be the 'server' of these ads or BB apps, that is not necessarily the case. For example, ATHM users can go to the CNET news.com site and download as much as they want and be served as many ads as CNET can serve in the time they are on the CNET site. What does this do for ATHM? Nothing, it costs them money. So, how can ATHM capitalize on it's ability to give users a broadband experience and make money while doing so? It appears that ATHM management believes that this can be accomplished by keeping the user with the Company's web properties for as long as possible and is trying to do this by leveraging the XCIT portal.
In theory this sounds like a solid plan. Realistically, it puts ATHM in a questionable position with just about everyone that counts..... feds, municipalities, other ISP's, AOL, etc., etc., etc.
-Tom |
