Steve, I beleive that both fast and accurate Internet feeds are possible. (Accuracy certainly isn't related to whether or not it is over the Internet.) The main problems, I think, are projecting demand and building adequate server capacity, and providing a fast and reliable server connection - which means connection to multiple backbones. (Both for redundancy and to reduce the number of "hops" to the greatest number of customers.)
My Intersat quote feed over the Internet is as good as you could ask for. It is fast, reliable, and has no perceptable lag. (Since they moved to MCI.) Unfortunately, the satellite feed (their own) that they get their data from is awful - bad data, missed ticks, etc. But if they put it on the satellite, I get it over the Internet. :)
Now, if PCQuote's servers and Internet connection had the speed of Intersat's, combined with the breadth and accuracy of data that they already provide, I'd be happy.
The only really good technical reason for satellite is if you truely need to have data on the entire market. I have had no trouble with following up to 2000 stocks over the Internet using my own software that works with a RealTick III feed. That should be enough stocks for most people. :)
Over the next few years, additional options will become available, as cable modems phase in. Multicasting will then be practical. (I beleive that @Home is equipped for multicasting now.) It should be no problem to receive a full quote feed via your cable modem. However, there is first going to have to be a critical mass of customers before anybody is going to offer that service.
Signal sucks, IMHO. The latentcy is entirely unacceptable. |
