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 : NOPT: Northeast Optic Network, Inc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dan B. who wrote (511)	8/4/1999 7:37:00 AM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 708

Dan, if your assumptions include some statement of them scaling across larger areas, eventually, then I would consider the possibility of answering your question below in the affirmative. If I've got it half right, would that help them qualify in your mind? George certainly shows he isn't afraid to pick a tiny company, as he put it upfront. But whether they have the resources to scale across the country is highly speculative to me at this time, and I wouldn't want to make any projections on that score. As it stands now, they do not have the geographic reach to really make a difference, not as a single source supplier, in any event, except for other entities who are likewise local to their networks, or regional in nature. I've seen it stated that NOPT can be expected to do some great flows with the university systems in NE. Maybe that is true, from a bandwidth provisioning perspective, but I tend to downplay the significance of those due to the deep discounts which are usually afforded large educational institutions (indeed, grants come into play here, as well), and because of other influences such as those in the making right now, like Internet2 which could turn out to be a voracious bandwidth hog, at some point. These are largely being sponsored by other large entities often at cost or for free, including the endowment of QWST which purportedly will be making $500MM worth of photons available to I2 institutions. Again, from my perspective at this time, NOPT needs to demonstrate how it will expand its reach, lest they be relegated to a buyout candidate at some point from a larger player like LVLT, or someone else. Again, this is all highly speculative to me at this point, and of course, all IMHO. Regards, Frank Coluccio