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To: MikeM54321 who wrote (7872)	8/3/2000 5:38:52 PM
From: MikeM54321	Respond to of 12823

PS Thread- I just read this after my previous posting. So in a quick follow-up, I had to post this out of Motorola because it's so appropriate to what I just said: "Motorola expects cable set top box sales to surge" biz.yahoo.com

To: MikeM54321 who wrote (7872)	8/3/2000 6:08:27 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Respond to of 12823

deleted, see next message

To: MikeM54321 who wrote (7872)	8/3/2000 6:10:15 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 12823

Mike, as you know from PMs and a number of discussions here lately, your observations concerning digital TV delivery are similar to those of my own. Two different service and hardware segments of the digital tv service model stand out. The first being the head end cluster or hub (or central office) components, where digital servers and enhanced service provisioning (and service creation) platforms will proliferate, and the second being the residential (or CPE) component which is, for the most part, a function of the STB at this time. A question that occurs to me is this: How long will it be before another model takes shape, like those of the application service provider (ASP) and the content distribution network (CDN) provider, who, for the sake of discussion, could come along and wrest a good part of the digital content distribution requirement that would normally be supported by the first component (MSOs'/ILECs' on-prem platforms) which I cited above, through aggregation of their cumulative requirements for digital serving via an ultra-broadband backbone emanating from a <perhaps number of> central libraries of diverse title types? We are seeing the beginnings of this already, albeit on DSL, where, most notably the recent ENRON/Blockbuster/ILEC offering exists where various forms of video content (movies and games) are being distributed via dsl to ILEC and SP service providers' customers. Where is the content coming from? Blockbuster. [BTW, whose servers are "they" using?] Who is supplying the broadband component? Enron. Who is distributing the content to the end users? The ILECs. Or, at least this is the game plan that these players have claimed to be the case at this time. Here, one can begin to envisage a hierarchical distribution tree that flows from a number of regional server farms (how many?, don't know), to MSOs/ILECs, and then out to the customer on a channel/service/program/title-selective basis. This model may, in fact, be more conducive to supporting IP-based services at some point (surprise, surprise), as opposed to the deterministic, channelized approaches that seem to prevail at this time. Specifically, where at the present time the MSOs will be using digital RF on HFC, through dedicated <and some floating> spectrum slots... and DSL, through the telcos' use of ATM virtual connections. Didn't mean to drop cold water on the prospect, just presenting some potential roadblocks to certain device types in certain spaces, which I think are plausible during the intermediate term, or right in the middle of ramping the obvious solutions of today. The transparency and capacity afforded by optical plumbing will do that to you, from time to time. Comments and corrections are welcome. FAC

To: MikeM54321 who wrote (7872)	8/4/2000 12:09:05 AM
From: ftth	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 12823

Hi MIke, re:"there appears to be VERY strong demand for digital TV services offered up by the MSOs." Since I had a hard time seeing just what exactly this demand is for, I perused the local cox website. More channels: No added value to me there. 40 commercial free music channels: Some value there. Interactive program guide: No added value to me there, but maybe the value would appear after using it. Digital Pay per view: No added value to me there. But there was no price listed anywhere. So I called. They happen to be offering a package with "digital" TV and cox@home. Since I already have cox@home, they waive the modem lease for the rest of the year, with a good possibility that they waive it beyond that, according to the rep. After all is said and done, with their package I get their "digital" TV + cox@home for about $5/month LESS than I'm paying now. Now there's some value!