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Technology Stocks : METRICOM - Wireless Data Communications -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sherman Chen who wrote (2003)	1/22/2000 8:34:00 AM
From: rrufff	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3376

I don't disagree with what you are saying. Not being an engineer, I tend to go with the practical side of technology. (Hey - it's not often that lawyers get to say stuff about other professions lol.) When I first did my DD on MCOM, I was concerned about the numbers compared to the speed at which DSL, ADSL, QCOM hdr, etc., were to operate. I have read most of the arguments either way. What has convinced me of MCOM's role is what I have actually experienced with ADSL and cell service here in Boston. I opted for the premium package from Bell Atlantic. To make a very long story short, long because the problems of 1)finding service 2)getting it implemented and 3)actually finding someone who works for the company who knows anything about the product), I am thoroughly convinced that anyone who loves to be on top of real, emphasis on the "real", technology would go with MCOM over anything else. The real rate of data flow that I get is NOWHERE near what I am supposed to get. That being said, I am happy now finally that my service works and it sure beats my old 56K modem. (See I am easily pleased.) However, I still wait -- I do the world wide wait. I can still think faster than I get my data with the possible exception of large downloads which is a small part of my use of the WWW. From what I have read, MCOM real rates to the user will be right in the ballpark of what I am getting with good ADSL and right in the ballpark with the QCOM service. (As an aside, the customer service end is so bad, that Bell Atlantic and others are trying to put together a package where you go to STaples and get a do-it-yourself CD and converter-splitter-modem and try to hook it up, coordinating it yourself with the central office. Give me a break!!!!!!!) That being said, (1) MCOM will be here faster. and (2) QCOM is more of a threat to the powers who will be selling the service than MCOM, i.e., WCOM-MCI, ATT, Bells, etc., which will result in more and more delays and endless loop de loops which will stall getting service and I emphasize service in all respects to the end user. For those reasons -- I think that MCOM will be a clear winner at least here in the Boston area. I can't tell you what I had to do when I was trying to get one of the cell companies to give me some satisfactory answers to using the web via my cell phone either as a modem or directly to the small screen. I settled on a QCOM 860 as a compromise, giving me portability and supposed web access. What a joke and QCOM's supposedly vaunted customer service left me wanting for any real information. They were as bad as all of the wireless telcos and knew nothing about how to actually IMPLEMENT service here and now, present -- They sure knew how to tell me about all the stuff that was happening in the future!! Although MCOM R2 is not here in Boston yet, from the boards, it seems that there is very little negativity expressed by actual users. Rather, they are expansive with their praise. Given that shorts and other negativists could certainly manipulate the boards, I find the lack of negative posting from actual users to be incredibly promising for when the service actually reaches me here. To summarize - MCOM seems to be customer oriented. Service and actual throughput rate to and from the user will be better than what I've seen from the big telephone companies of every stripe. I'd trade my ADSL for R2 tomorrow. I'd grab my skis and laptop and be on the way in 10 minutes.

To: Sherman Chen who wrote (2003)	1/22/2000 6:07:00 PM
From: Zeuspaul	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3376

As far as the maximum data rate for MCOM, the current technology can achieve a theoretical max data rate of approximately 800 kbps from what I've read, and the R2 service will have a nominal data rate of 128 kbps, Isn't there a bottleneck as the data moves through the serial port? Does one have to install an enhanced serial port in the end user computer to take advantage of 128kbps? I have experienced downloading data collectors through serial ports. They can go quickly at first but rarely can sustain high data rate transfers. Would the same be true with the MCOM modem? IMO the serial port interface is an advantage as it has universal capability. I am just wondering about the speed issue. One could install a new high speed serial port but is it necessary? Does the MCOM modem compress data as it passes through the serial port? I'll be the first on the block to get one of these things...hope they can get them on the market on schedule...June 30th...I guess I should pick up a couple of shares too.128kbs is fast enough for me for at least the next three years. If it is reliable and will install easily on any computer via serial port...and for $29? per month... this service will be a winner. Zeuspaul