[State of ADSL acceptance:]
<<<ADSL is not yet "out there". There's still a lot of speculation.
Consequently, much of the data out there isn't "data" but rumor, hype and speculation. Distinguishing this from that if often difficult.>>>
Barry --
With a small amount of effort it's fairly easy to distinguish between hype and fact. I certainly wouldn't rely on any one company's press nor even industry articles as these are often slanted or filled with misinformation. Rather, I'd contact industry groups such as the ADSL Forum and TeleChoice where there's at least a modicum of objectivity.
Oddly enough, the more you learn, the more you'll realize how much bad information is floating around.
Once you've mastered the basics, go another step and research every telecommunications company's website you can think of for their White Papers, annual reports, and technical papers. Yes, they'll be company-specific, but you'll begin to get a feel for what each is planning for the future. Bell Atlantic's Ray Smith has given some eloquent speeches on the future of bandwidth, saying of ADSL that it's a temporary solution, "Temporary for the next 40 years." Find out what Andy Grove has to say on the technology, and Nicholas Negroponte and Bill Gates. Then call Bob Olshansky or Flynn Nogueira at GTE and ask them how the trials are going. Once you get the hang of it, phone Gregg Gapinsky at IBM's ADSL trials in Chicago. Ask him if he thinks there's a future for ADSL. Spend a night in IBM's website. I think you'd be surprised what you find.
Once you've gone this far, you'll be addicted, so take a deep breath and revisit all the telecommunications websites for press releases that mention either xDSL, ADSL, or highspeed bandwidth. While at it, draw a family tree to show how all the different companies are connected through alliances and partnerships. There are some strange bedfellows, indeed. CAP and DMT reside side-by-side in more than one company profile, to say nothing of bastards of every configuration---like ISDL.
If you're still not convinced ADSL is a player, start reading FCC reports, European Union declarations, and national policy statements on telecommunications reform. And if all this seems overwhelming, just read the business section of any major newspaper every day for one week and I think you'll have enough to convince you there's a market driver out there that's growing into a monster of almost frightening proportions and that there are only a few viable solutions to meet the demand.
If at the end of all this you still have doubts, email me and I'll fax you a few things from my files.
And to think that for a brief moment I wondered if I'd have anything to say at ComNet in February. (I hope someone's smiling. :))
Regards,
Pat
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