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Technology Stocks : America On-Line (AOL) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Vendit™ who wrote (23245)	6/19/1999 4:09:00 PM
From: Tom Tallant	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 41369

Vendit, What's your take on the Ahhaha post concerning the cable/dsl debate? I'd love to know your thoughts as I know you are well versed concerning this topic. Thanks, Tom

To: Vendit™ who wrote (23245)	6/19/1999 4:32:00 PM
From: CCGoose	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 41369

I too am looking for a big run up in AOL by the middle of the summer, there are lots of unseen things that should help to increase AOL user numbers into the fall also. I hope to soon see a change in the way that european currently is going with the problems, of charging for local calls. Something there has to change in order for them to fully take advantage of the internet in the way that we can here in North America. In my experience, now that I have DSL, I have found in transferring files regularly from users with Cable connections that I am normally receiving files from cable users at around 80k per second. This number slows down significantly to around 10 to 20k during peak times. This number is still significantly greater than I am getting from users with dial up connections with a 56k modem which I have found run as high as 5k per second during off peak hours. Both of these are still far inferior to the 800k and higher rates that I have been getting with other DSL users in my area, and from larger servers when downloading software. Another piece I wanted to add is regarding the cable open access debate. This year In Canada the CRTC ruled that cable operators must allow for open access on their systems. The community I live in Timmins, On was the first to provide open access in Canada. The reason for this was cooperation on the part of the cable operator, Regional Cable which didn't want to go through the cost of setting up their own internet service systems, so they just allowed the internet service companies in the area to use their infrastructure. There currently is only one ISP operating on their cable infrastructure but I am sure others are to follow. I am also certain that other smaller cable companies in Canada will follow suit, gaining the revenue from internet access quickly, without having to worry about the headaches. I can see this as gaining momentum in Canada as it grows, however the current problem lies in getting access from the larger systems, who also run their own internet services. None of them to date have been cooperative in getting contracts with other service providers in order to open up access to them as it does compete with their internet services. There was an article on the front page of the National post In April regarding this issue, and how the service had been provided here. I got the link from this site, maybe someone could provide it if they still have it? There also will have to be legislation to follow to allow for truly open access, as far as reasonable charges to other internet service providers in order for this to be "open access". Otherwise cable operators with their own internet service while just charge rates to other service providers that are so outrageous as to make it unprofitable. With open access in Canada, and with the Portland ruling the pressure is now on the US government to make room for other service providers to have access to cable, In my opinion, I only see it as a matter of time, and Canada has shown that it will, and can work. I am looking forward to how it is going to pan out here in Canada, as well as further developments in the US. As far as Europe I think if they don't change soon with satellite access on the horizon, and charges for local phone rates, dial up access in europe will be almost non existant for regular internet users. From all of that I can only gather that AOL prices recently have taken a big hit, and there is significant sunshine starting to poke through the clouds, and AOL will go significantly up. I am also hoping that I can learn more in the future about what is going on regarding portable internet access devices, as I haven't really had much of a chance to research any of them, maybe you could provide me with some insight there? Long AOL Chad

To: Vendit™ who wrote (23245)	6/19/1999 5:38:00 PM
From: Dennis J Baltz	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 41369

Vendit You said "There was an SI member this past week that put up a link where you can log on and it will measure your connection speed. There were a number of users here that did just that. The bottom line was that DSL was faster the cable". What is that site, I want to check out my cable speed. Dennis