Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : AUTOHOME, Inc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ahhaha who wrote (10935)	6/10/1999 12:50:00 AM
From: E. Davies	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

Just out of curiosity I took a look at the @home Netherlands public page. What is interesting about is how they try to position it as a content service where you can also go to the "ordinary internet" if you want to. nl.home.com @Home provides its subscribers with a wide range of services. Not only news, but also entertainment and a huge variety of practical information. A special browser provides access to seven thematic "channels": news, sports, financial, culture, science and technology, games and "webwise" (containing the most unusual websites). These channels provide news and background in video and audio, access to a choice selection of leading sites, and many special services. In collaboration with our media partners, @Home's eight-member editorial team continuously updates the channels to keep them exciting and topical. Do you want even more? Then you can, of course, still surf the "ordinary" internet. Eric

To: ahhaha who wrote (10935)	6/10/1999 2:37:00 AM
From: DOUG H	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

<<<<<In the end the only reasonable way to continue is to pay MSO on the ATHM network to superhost the access. That way they don't have to get into all the headaches ATHM has>>>>> ah, So the business case for an ISP will be, "Do we pay the cost of upgrading the headend and connecting it the bone and still pay "rent for use of the local loop or pay ATHM to make the provisions and pay "rent" for the use of the local loop?" But either way the local loop can absorb up to or at least 10 ISP's? Then it becomes down to competion of content and costs? Thanks D.H.

To: ahhaha who wrote (10935)	6/10/1999 1:54:00 PM
From: Ted Schnur	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

Ahhaha, Regarding your comments on ATHM being a "superhost" for the ISP's. From an operational point of view, I think the current cable network can support thousands of ISP's, if the point of entry is ATHM's backbone. It might work something like this 1. ATHM configures the DNS server to service multiple domains. The client's home page would be determined by its domain configuration. If the domain is set to "whatever.aol.com", the DNS server will return an IP address pointing to the subscribed ISP's home page or e-mail server. 2. Install a high speed links between ATHM's backbone and the ISV 's 3. Agreement on a billing method. The MSO's continue to receive the same subscriber revenue, and is still responsible for the local loop But is it possible for the pricing issue to be worked out so that what ATHM looses in subscriber revenue, they gain in service revenue? What about advertising revenue? Would the ISP's require SLA's that both ATHM and some or all of the MSO's could agree to? If someone creates a new ISP that provides nothing but bandwidth hogging streaming multi-media, would that ISP be charged on a metered basis? I work in the customer service end of the computer industry. Just working out the operational details of linking the MSO's customer service departments with that of the ISP's (i.e., multiple SLA agreements, incompatible customer problem tracking systems, escalation paths, and so on) would create a operational nightmare (you think service is bad now!). If ATHM started with a service bureau type of business model, I doubt that they would have been able to sign up all the MSO's they currently have. Looking at it from the MSO's point of view, why deal with multiple ISP's when you can deal with one? At this point in time, all parties would have to agree to centralize part or all of the operations to keep cost under control. Customer service could be a separate business, as well as billing and installations. If you continue down this path to reduce the operational cost, you end up going full circle, and it starts looking like a single ISP again. There are already a large number of cooks in the kitchen, and everyone wants to be the master chief! I doubt that ATHM could come up with a standard package that everyone could agree to. Ted