I beleive that @Home is deploying much more slowly and carefully than Roadrunner. The two are not in competition, so I don't know that it's too useful to compare subscriber levels. They are taking different approaches.
Of course, I don't know if other systems are building the same way that Cox is. But Cox is taking two years to phase-in @Home throughout their entire system. I beleive that they already have the infrastructure in place, so this is just a matter of ramping-up customer service, installer education, etc.
Cox currenty is built to 1000 homes passed per node. 2000 homes passed is more typical. The installer told me that they intended to go to 500 homes passed at some point in the future, as more people sign-up.
My impression is that Roadrunner is taking a blitzkreg approach, while @Home is deploying in a much more controlled and deliberate manner.
I think that the Roadrunner approach could backfire on them. They risk alienating their users and eventually losing them, and losing potential users through word of mouth. I'm glad that @Home hasn't taken this approach. @Home seems to be taking the necessary steps to insure that quality of service, bandwidth, and support remain at high levels as they build out. The fact is, that nobody knows how to zap a system into existence over night, and anyone who tries to is going to have big problems. I think the @Home approach is a much more sound one.
In any case, the local ISPs are well aware of what is going on. My old ISP has already basically thrown in the towell on personal accounts (with BOTH @Home and Roadrunner in their service area!), and has shifted focus toward web site hosting and high-speed business connections. One of their technicians has Roadrunner at home. Does that tell you something? (I think they told him to get it, though. checking-up on the competition :) )
@Home had a launch event here in San Diego last week, and I'm told that about 10,000 people showed up. This was from postcards sent to Cox subscribers a week in advance of the event and a mention on the front page of the San Diego Union business section.
I think that both services will do well. My impression is that @Home is the "Cadillac" of the cable-access services. |
