Vendit - Thanks for insightful, informative post. In so many discussions on this thread and elsewhere, when the topic is broadband: cable modem vs. DSL, wireless always comes in as a major "Factor X".
Great point about potential big advantages for introducing wireless network in un- / underdeveloped countries. Some of those countries would never in a lifetime have the capability to be laying cable or phone lines on a large scale basis.
Also interesting is following link from Briefing.com yesterday with commentary on Nextel - MSFT alliance:
briefing.com
Interesting point, as per your comment, the article says of the deal:
<<... it provides another viewpoint on the coming advent of wireless broadband, a subject profiled in yesterday's Stock Brief. While everyone is convinced that broadband will come to PCs first through cable or phone lines, the infrastructure to bring internet communications to devices that are already wireless is now being built. What if the wireless phone infrastructure becomes capable of carrying broadband signals before the cable industry gets built out for broadband? >>>
Good question to ponder, and as you comment could reflect well on AOL
Anywhere strategy, which has taken a few knocks recently, to say the least.
Great news about the NSCP browser on the free ISP. Will check that out. Do you see that free ISP development as potentially cannabalizing AOL's target market and audience, being a neutral factor or possibly adding to it ? Be interested in yours and others' opinion.
Seems AOL could be more threatened by any free ISP trend since AOL alone among the major portals has it own substantial subscriber revenue stream -- something YHOO, for example, doesn't have to worry about "losing."
For me personally, I don't think it represents any threat to the "installed" base but I wonder about LT impact on new subscriber growth rate. (Again, maybe ICQ and AIM to the rescue as the Pied Piper !)
BTW, I think I saw recently that AOL moved to decrease prices in Britain in response to the free ISP's there (Dixons Group is the biggest, I believe.)
Appreciate your comments -
Regards,
George |
