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Pastimes : The Naked Truth - Big Kahuna a Myth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Pitera who wrote (49786)	6/28/1999 10:18:00 AM
From: wlheatmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 86076

John, do you get NY TIMES? they had an interesting and upbeat article on ENE and their creation of sophisticated new ways to trade and hedge--paper, broadband, etc.... mike PS--found this article Broadband Options Jon C.A. DeKeles, Technical Director ZDNet AnchorDesk As Tech Director, my day is busy. Inventing new features for AnchorDesk. Cleaning up the messes left behind by my "civilian" colleagues. Saving their lives. Again. So I don't have a lot of time to waste. Thought you might feel the same way. Here's my quick and simple overview of the four ways to get broadband Internet access. CABLE MODEMS Cable Modems transmit data to and from your PC via existing television cable. Click for more. Speed: Download transmission speeds ranging from 3-10 Mbps, and upload speeds ranging from 128 Kbps-10 Mbps. Pros: More widely available than DSL Cheaper to use (roughly $20 more per month than a typical ISP connection) Faster than DSL (as long as there aren't too many users on at the same time) Cons: Limited availability As the number of users in a given area increases, individual performance decreases Security issues associated with sharing cable lines Key Players: @Home/AT&T(TCI) Road Runner/Time Warner DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) delivers high speed data transmission via existing copper phone lines. A new consumer-friendly G.Lite DSL standard has just been approved. Click for more. Speed: Ranges from 8 Mbps downloading and up to 1 Mbps upload (G.Lites are limited to 1.5 Mbps down and 512 Kbps up). Pros: Dedicated, unshared, "always on" connection Uses existing phone lines, and the new G.Lite will work with all phone lines including those with a Digital Carrier Loop Still much faster than 56k modems Cons: Limited availability and higher cost in some areas Doesn't work if you are too far from a central phone company transmitter Current DSL set ups require installation by the phone company (G.Lites will be easier for consumers to install) Key Players: Pacific Bell USWest Ameritech SATELLITE Satellites beam data to your PC via transmission from space. You receive it on a disk like the one used for satellite TV. Click for more. Speed: Download speeds of up to 400 Kbps, more in some cases. Pros: Will work out in rural areas where wire-based high speed lines are not available With a recent $1.5 billion investment by America Online in Hughes' DirecTV, satellite online access could be poised for prime-time Attractive download speeds, and with companies like Teledesic and SkyBridge entering the market service should improve Cons: Satellite online access is download only -- uploading must be done through regular phone line High pricing for service Difficult to install Key Players: Hughes EchoStar Teledesic (someday) WIRELESS Wireless access works in several different ways. One method transmits data wirelessly to a central base station which is then connected to a high-speed "wired" network. Click for more. Speed: dependent on spectrum band and line-of-sight issues, but ranges from 21 Mbps to 45 Mbps in commercial applications, much less in the emerging small business/consumer versions. Pros: Wireless broadband networks do not require leasing capacity from phone or cable companies Allows recipient to be more mobile Numerous large corporations ramping up to get into this space Cons: Technology not readily available Currently limited by line-of-sight and other geography issues Latecomers to the broadband party, will have to work to gain market share Key Players: Lucent MCI Sprint Teligent There you have it - the broadband landscape in a nutshell. Now I've got to get some high speed work of my own done.