While we are on the subject of residential broadband access, did anyone else see this press release today ? (see below)
It speaks of an initiative to make "the world's most connected community". (Who would have thought -- Ottawa, Canada).
Some thoughts:
Why not use LMDS? Nortel sells the equip. and Canada has allocated the spectrum -- in fact CVUS or CTT is up there in some way shape or form.
17 times 56kbps equals alittle under 1 Meg. Hard to believe ...
What is Consumer Digital Modem (CDM) technology?
Didn't the RBOC try this along time ago with "C.O. LAN"?
Are they really suggesting nailing up 25,000 voice circuits into the switch(es)?
Bold Move, Best of Luck.
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Wednesday May 6, 12:56 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Bell Canada and Nortel - Northern Telecom - to Create "The World's
Most-Connected Community"
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 1998--Bell Canada (ME:BCE. - news; TSE:BCE. - news; VSE:BCE. - news;
NYSE:BCE - news) BCE President and CEO Jean Monty announced today that the National Capital Region will become a
showcase for world- leading interactive services and high-speed telecommunications access through an initiative of a group of
BCE companies. Speaking at the BCE Inc. [NYSE:BCE - news] annual meeting of shareholders, Mr. Monty said these new
capabilities will be delivered in late 1998 and early 1999 through the combined resources of Bell Canada's Emergis division,
Nortel (Northern Telecom), and other partners and suppliers.
''The project is an important example of how we will increasingly bring to bear the broad range of marketing and technology
strengths within our group of companies to jointly deliver new services to the marketplace,'' Mr. Monty said. ''The National
Capital Region is an ideal location to become the world's most-connected community since it has an extensive high-technology
base and several post- secondary institutions. The project will also contribute significantly to the federal government's goal of
creating a ''connected Canada'' by the year 2000.''
At the heart of the initiative is a $75 million investment to create packages of interactive information, communication and
entertainment services for the home. This will be the world's first true rollout of innovative and easy-to-use, high-speed
interactive services for the home. It will meet the growing demand for advanced, multimedia communications services and
high-speed access from teleworkers, home-office entrepreneurs and advanced media customers. Feedback from the rollout of
the service in the National Capital Region will be applied to the delivery of similar services in other Bell Canada serving areas.
The initiative will consist of four broad categories of services:
Bell Connections, including many next-generation telephony services like online call management features, universal
messaging and voice/fax using the Internet Protocol (IP);
Sympatico, with advanced informational online services that can be accessed via either personal computer or television;
exploration of an entertainment and education package a) including a new, specialized, high-speed, entertainment
interface b) ExpressVu and distance education services; and
home management features such as security and online lighting and appliance control.
Bell's interactive home services will utilize the latest advances in access technologies and other network-based capabilities to
deliver the full benefits of a connected community. Key to the technology component will be Nortel's megabit modem, a
plug-and-play digital modem technology that initially offers Internet subscribers and telecommuters download speeds 17 times
faster than today's analog modems. Easy and affordable, megabit modem service requires no rewiring in the central office or in
the home and no installation service call.
''The megabit modem provides a digital connection that is ''always on'', eliminating dial-up sequences, logging-in procedures,
and busy signals,'' says John Roth, Nortel President and CEO. ''It's a high-speed, digital solution that bridges the gap between
limited-speed analog devices and more expensive, very high-speed technologies that may have limited availability. The Nortel
megabit modem solution uses Consumer Digital Modem technology to deliver the bandwidth and responsiveness of a
well-engineered LAN directly to the home.''
The customer base for Bell's interactive home services will be 25,000 homes in Ottawa/Hull, with service to be introduced in
two phases: fall 1998, and early 1999. The first phase will focus on a comprehensive package of services for teleworkers. The
second phase will provide two additional packages of services for home office and advanced media customers. Complete
details of the initiative will be announced in September.
BCE is Canada's largest telecommunications company. The BCE group includes: Bell Canada, the principal supplier of
communications services in Ontario and Quebec; Nortel (Northern Telecom), a global leader in the design and building of
telecommunications networks; Bell Canada International, a leading supplier of telecommunications services in markets outside
of Canada; BCE Mobile, a provider of wireless services in Ontario and Quebec under the Bell Mobility banner; and
Tele-Direct, a Yellow Pages(TM) directory publisher operating in Canada and internationally. BCE's shares are traded in
Canada, the United States and in Europe.
Backgrounder - Bell's high-speed interactive services
Facts About Technology, Timing, Customer Base and Service Elements
Bell's high-speed interactive services are a direct response to increasing consumer demand for the accelerated deployment of
advanced, converged, communications services over high-speed networks. Today's growing base of teleworkers, home-office
entrepreneurs and advanced media consumers want to receive high- speed interactive services from one supplier, and Bell's
new, targeted packages of information, communications and entertainment services will meet that demand.
No other Canadian company is as well positioned to bring all the elements to the table. Increasingly, BCE will act as an
enabler in the industry - drawing together the resources from its member companies that are necessary to deliver
communications services that set the pace for the rest of the world to follow. BCE's new vision exemplifies the principle that
''the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.''
Technology
Bell's high-speed interactive services will utilize Nortel's (Northern Telecom) megabit modem, a plug-and-play digital modem
technology that offers Internet subscribers and telecommuters initial download speeds 17 times faster than today's analog
modems. Easy and affordable, Nortel's megabit modem service requires no rewiring in the central office or in the home, and no
subscriber service call. The megabit modem provides an always-on digital connection that eliminates dial-up sequences,
logging-in procedures, and busy signals. The megabit modem is a high-speed, digital solution that bridges the gap between
limited-speed analog devices and more expensive, very high-speed technologies that may have limited availability. The Nortel
megabit modem solution uses Consumer Digital Modem technology to deliver the bandwidth and responsiveness of a
well-engineered LAN directly to the home.
Timing
Bell's high-speed interactive services will be implemented beginning in fall 1998. A second, larger, phase will begin in early
1999.
Customer Base
A base of 25,000 homes in Ottawa/Hull has been designated as the initial market for Bell's new broadband interactive
services, with service to be introduced in two phases. The first phase will focus on a comprehensive package of services for
teleworkers. The second phase will provide two additional packages of services for home office and advanced media
customers.
The customer base is projected to expand to 25,000 people by June 1999.
Service Elements
The initiative will consist of four broad categories of services:
Bell Connections, including many next-generation telephony services like online call management features, universal
messaging and voice/fax over IP;
Sympatico, with advanced informational online services that can be accessed via either PC or TV;
exploration of an entertainment and education package - including a new, specialized, high-speed, entertainment
interface ExpressVu and distance education services; and
home management features such as security and online lighting and appliance control.
These services will be bundled in three packages to support teleworkers, home-office entrepreneurs and advanced media
customers.
All of the players involved in the delivery of Bell's interactive services recognize the importance of striking an appropriate
balance between the service richness necessary to compel rapid mass-market adoption and service limitations to match current
technical limitations.
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