To all,
As some of you may know, I've been lurking around here for quite some time, yearrrrrrsssss..., as a matter of fact. I find Sprint's ION solution to be very interesting. They have forced me to look at the local phone cos. in a different light.
My thoughts run along these lines:
Since ADSL solutions have become viable, there have been many discussions on this and other threads regarding when the local phone cos. will start building out their local DSL systems to compete with cable cos.
Proposition 1:
Given that many local users already have additional phone lines installed to accomodate modems, faxes, etc., many local phone cos. may consider it to be suicide to implement ADSL lite at the local level, at this time.
Argument: As I understand g-lite technology, voice and data can travel over the same phone line at the same time, eliminating the need for a second phone line for the fax/modem, etc., for many customers. Wouldn't phone companies be afraid that they might actually lose more local lines than they could gain by implementing ADSL?
Propostion 2: Phone cos. don't seem to implement new technology until they are forced to.
When the Cable cos. started their cable modem push, local phone cos. didn't really feel the pinch because they weren't losing any business so-to-speak. On the other hand, FON will actually steal business from local phone cos., and they will definitely feel the pinch. This should force local phone cos. to make their DSL technology moves just to preserve their existing customer base, let alone expand it.
My thinking still on this is still a little murky, and I know that I haven't considered other issues such as, local ISP business, but I think the idea merits further discussion. It makes me think that FON may have a much brighter future than I had originally considered. Pairgain should participate in this business too, if they can just get their act together.
Can anyone else expand on this idea?
--Dave |
