I have some pretty disturbing news for us WSTL longs...Sinced we are FORCED to do our own discovery and play Shirlock Holmes as WSTL provides us with NO INFORMATION I first suggest you re-read the <Bell Atlantic - Network Disclosure> AND READ IT VERY CAREFULLY...
< Bell Atlantic Network Disclosure
Name: ADSL Data Network (ADN) Service.
Type of Change: Bell Atlantic will provide ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
Data Network Service using DMT(Discrete Multi Tone) technology in addition to
CAP(Carrierless Amplitude Phase modulation) technology. Bell Atlantic previously
disclosed its intent to provide high speed packetized data transport of information
between Data Information Users and Data Information Providers using CAP
technology.
The interface between the DMT ADSL Terminal Unit-Remote (ATU-R) and the
network is defined in:
Alcatel 1000 ADSL ATM Subscriber Access Multiplexer Public Disclosure Document
published by Alcatel
To order this document contact:
Alcatel Contracts Department 1225 North Alma Road Richardson, Texas 75801-2206
Phone 972-996-5000
A fee of $100.00, to cover the cost of printing, will be required to obtain the document.
Dates Changes are to occur: ADN service using CAP technology is available today.
Roll out of DMT technology will begin in the first quarter of 1999. To confirm the actual
deployment dates for CAP and DMT, contact the product manager listed below.
Location changes are to occur: Bell Atlantic will offer ADN service using DMT
technology in the New York and the Boston areas in 1Q99 and plans to expand service
into other selected areas within the Bell Atlantic region.
Reasonably foreseeable impact of change: ADN service gives users high-speed data
connections to the Internet, including the World Wide Web, as well as to corporate
LANs. Compatible CPE will be required. . Bell Atlantic Contact: For further
information on Bell Atlantic's High Speed Data Services, please contact:
John Grady, High Speed Data Product Manager 1310 N. Court House Rd., 6th Floor,
Arlington, Virginia 22201. Tel # /Fax # (703)974-6886
bell-atl.com;
When I read this I found it strange that BEL was going to <Roll out DMT first qtr of 99> and that <Compatible CPE will be required>...Well MZ said during CC that WSTL CPE interopable with ALA wouldn't be ready until June so how could BEL start DMT deployment now and use WSTL CPE?
When I asked MZ (a couple of days ago) he said that deployment can be delayed or deployment could be only a few lines and also mentioned that ALA has CPE's but didn't show much concern...as matter of fact went on to tell me why he thought WSTL's CPE's were better than ALA's because of the Flash Memory.
Being Shirlock Holmes (as we are forced by WSTL to be) I reached out to John Grady who is listed in the Disclosure as the "High Speed Data Product Manager"...It took a few days of reaching voice mail but finally got him today. When I asked him the question, his response was ALA is providing COMPLETE DMT..I asked CPE too? His response was YUP. I said thank you and hung up. I thought for a bit and couldn't believe what I had heard so I called him back to verify what he said...and he said it again. I further asked him if there were plans to quickly change the CAP over to DMT or would BEL continue deploying CAP where they started deployment. He told me that all of the CAP that BEL was planning to deploy has been deployed and it will be DMT going forward. He did say that WSTL was working on CPE's but also said there are several CPE vendors working on CPE's and BEL will offer several different CPE's in the future?
So I guess when MZ said during the CC that Forward Pricing would NOT be a problem for much longer it didn't mean that the ramp up was beginning it meant that they WOULD NOT BE SHIPPING TO BEL ANY MORE?
I reached out to MZ once again today but unfortunately he was out traveling (I am very confident I will hear from him Tuesday as he is quick to return phone calls) but I was able to speak with Mark Muedt.
Mark is not familiar with John Grady and it was my impression that he was surprised by what I was telling him...He said to me that there has been NO PUBLIC RELEASE of information stating what I had told him and would need to reach out to his BEL contacts (but will not be able to comment until it is made public). He did say that WSTL was still shipping CAP and it was his understanding that BEL would continue ordering CAP. He would try to get back to me Tuesday.
I don't know if Grady's information is accurate but he seemed pretty confident. It seems like BC all over again. A NIGHTMARE. WSTL was in the quiet mode as they are today and we were lead to believe that WSTL was going to win the contract when BAM...BC announces ALA won the contract! Well get ready for BEL's announcement...ALA WINS! WSTL who? (IMHO).
THE ONLY THING LEFT FOR WSTL IS TO GET MAJOR FINANCING (AS DR. TECH INDICATED) AND PRAY LU AND BT GOES WELL!...As Muedt said LU is "CRITICAL". I would have to ASSume that in the long run, BT is going to end up going with ALA too as everyone else has (IMHO).
It really sucks that we are NEVER provided with information from WSTL. NEVER GIVEN ANY HOPE (other than from Dr. Tech which has only proved to be a HUGE let down). HOW ARE WE SUPPOSE TO INVEST IN A COMPANY THAT PROVIDES NO SUPPORT TO ITS SHAREHOLDERS? F___KED UP!
However, the good news is I liquidated half my position today...so expect a turn around to the upside...never fails! |
