MikeM:
You're fortunate to have a choice b/w 2 cable platforms. I still suffer. Today I had an IDSL installed. Upstream fine; clocks in @ 137K bps. But downstream only modem speed. Called Northpoint. Reps nice, & quick on the call pickup, but referred me to the ISP, PhoenixDSL, which is turning out to be THE ISP from hell. After 25 minutes on hold, left voicemail message. That was 9 hours ago. No return call.
Hey, Frank or any line guys out there, any idea what the problem is? I figure since the upstream is working, its not the repeater on my line, but perhaps the ISP's routers. Any insight, comment would be appreciated.
BTW, Mike, talked to Adelphia yesterday & today. Yesterday I learned they get their local feed off the air. So, IMHO, this is what the DBS providers do as well. They likely lease access of the receipt of the transmission & have it routed to their ground facility either terrestrially or via satellite uplink. Just a guess. But the bottom line, IMHO, is the path all starts with an off-the-air transmission.
Today, I learned that the the ADLAC fiber upgrade is going to start in Tarzana (south of Woodland Hills) where there is a fiber-link to TimeWarner's valley system. So it seems these MSOs like to cluster amongst themselves. Hmmm. Interesting. IMHO, kinda makes the assets more fungible, if you catch my drift. (I've always thought ADLAC's So. Cal. assets would make a nice addition to TWTC's presence in LA, which is very limited, in light of the AOL merger, and a resulting appetite for cable plant)
Digital TV Sidebar
Yes, you're finally beginning to understand everything you ever wanted to know about digital TV but were afraid to ask. The only way the analog picture on the original channel lineup precedent to a digital upgrade is going to improve is by the installation of fiber into the plant, which obviously will shorten the coax run. But key, IMHO, is the condition & length of the coax run. If problems with the analog signal are caused by crappy plant literally along the last mile, and the fiber node is 3-4 miles upstream nearer the headend, then the fiber upgrade, IMHO, will do little to improve the picture, as enhancement to the signal will not be where it is needed most, along the last mile journey to the sub's home.
The ADLAC rep I talked to today was telling me that ADLAC plans to have ALL of its LA plant upgraded by April 01. Obviously, a grandiose schedule. But how can they do it? You will recall the link to the City of LA MSO franchise map I provided here some time ago. See cityofla.org
You might recall how vast the area covered by ADLAC's franchises were (areas F,G & H), charactered by lower density & semi-rugged terrain. Well, if it took ADLAC two full years to upgrade Santa Monica (which already had an installed fiber loop); Beverly Hills; the 3 BeachCities; and little W. Hollywood (which they are still finishing), how can they expect to upgrade ALL of LA from the outermost areas of the San Fernando Valley, up into the hills of Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, over the hills into Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Westwood, Bel-Air, onto N. Hollywood, not to mention the flats of Van Nuys, onto the hills overlooking Hollywood & the dense community below, then onto the Los Feliz section & ultimately to Eagle Rock, which runs from north of downtown north to the Pasadena city line in a mere 8 months? Any guesses?
Well, the comments of the rep tell me that the fiber is likely to run along Ventura Blvd, and no further, and connect to existing fiber running up & down Coldwater Canyon & Laurel Canyon than now connect the Van Nuys office with the office in W. Hollywood that serves the Beverly Hills and W. Hollywood subsystems. The fiber likely will then run along Sunset Blvd past the Los Feliz section (Griffith Park) as it makes it way to its final destination Eagle Rock and north of downtow.
So, in short, the fiber, at least from my POV, is going to be far & few between. Its not going to be deep, but shallow. Don't know how many nodes will be on the loop, but they will be far, far away, with long coax runs up into them here hills. In short, the service is gonna suck big time. LA residents will be getting an Edsel for an upgraded cable system, while other communities enjoy Cadillac's.
I have no facts to support my hypothesis other than what was told to me yesterday, and the irrefutable logistics of competing such a vast upgrade within a short period of time. I can't even begin to think of the problems with network operations once you get past installation of the infrastructure.
Why has ADLAC committed to this schedule? Well, all City MSO franchise licenses are up for review in 2001. And if the upgrade is not "complete" by then, they will not be viewed in good light. Presently, the City of LA Info Tech Agency is holding meetings out in the communities to receive public comment by council district. It was no surprise to see my district be the last to hold its meeting -- in March of 2001.
Secondly, ADLAC's agreement with @Home expires sometime in 2001. It is clear that when the agreement expires, or shortly before that time, the entire responsibility for O & M is gonna shift to ADLAC's proprietary service PowerLink, which from what I hear is awful. Can you imagine how an inept cable modem service is going to adept operate & manage a system design & built by a complete different operation. Its going to be real fun here in LA, I tell ya. Just wait in see. RCN is going to have their dinner served on a silver platter. Well, that's LA>
These are the games MSOs play. These are the issues that IMHO one must understand beyond technology to analyze & assess what particular platform will succeed & which will fail. Who will lose subscribers & who will win? And IMHO, it all boils down to local investment in infrastructure, a willingness to provide subscribers a quality network for distribution of digital content, be it broadcast, VOD, audio, data, voice, whatever. It is up to the local communities to take control politically of the future of the digital infrastructure, and not necessarily leave it to the private sector that sometime works, and sometime not. |
