ftth the person, re: "Because all the infrastructure stuff is still developing, and/or in limbo, be prepared for a deluge of hype for residential gateways and home networks in the coming months. The analysts have to hype something or they go out of business; that seems like the most likely 'next victim.'"
Is the following release something along the lines of what you're referring to? If they are successful they might be able to take the guess work out of deployment, and remove the doubts that users have about: "if it works." Once it pours out of the box like corn flakes, it will become commonplace. If it's affordable. Note that they include the firewall feature that I referred to earlier.
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Intel, Comcast team on home networking
Reuters
June 12, 2001 3:59 PM ET
zdnet.com
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. (INTC.O) and Comcast Cable Communications Inc., a unit of Comcast Corp., (CMCSK.O) (CMCSA.O) said on Tuesday that they will work together to develop, test, and distribute broadband home networking products, part of an industry-wide effort to speed the adoption of high-speed Internet connections in the home.
Comcast Cable, the No. 3 cable company in the U.S. and Intel, the world's largest semiconductor maker, also said they will set joint marketing and promotional agreements to promote Comcast's high-speed Internet service and Intel's home networking products.
Specifically, the two companies will sell a home residential gateway that will provide high-speed connections to the Internet for all computers in a customer's home using various networking technologies, including Ethernet and the 802.11b high-speed wireless transmission standard.
Philadelphia-based Comcast and Santa Clara, California-based Intel also said the residential home gateway will include firewall and security software that will help guard against hacking attacks that are more prevalent in always-on Internet connections.
A broadband connection to the Internet allows for faster downloading of Web pages than with a standard dial-up connection, playing interactive games, transferring large files, and downloading video and music clips.
But to the chagrin of many companies that have been pushing broadband in the home--including Intel, Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO.O), and others--so far most consumers are content to do without it.
San Jose, California-based Cisco, the biggest maker of computer-networking equipment, had planned last year to make a home gateway, to be sold by cable companies, but it has since shelved that plan in light of weak, overall demand for broadband access in the home.
Only about 10 percent of U.S. households--5.4 million--had a broadband Internet connection at the end of last year, according to the Yankee Group, a technology research division of Reuters Group Plc. |
