To: Roger Hess who wrote (1190 ) 5/2/1998 9:30:00 PM From: Doug (Htfd,CT) Respond to of 6846
Roger, much of what you suggest is in the works, with telcos entering delivery of "cable TV" and cable companies entering 'local loop' telephony. Its happening today in a few select cities, and Bill Gates' recent investment in a a cable company indicates his intention to push the convergence. QWest's situation is far more complicated, and controversial, although the current issue of Wired magazine has a feature article that addresses QWest's ongoing projects well. For some more detailed technical and economic background on the industry that QWest is in (wholesale bandwidth), I suggest strongly that you take the time to read George Gilder's "Telecosm" series at Forbes ASAP ( forbes.com ) and those issues of the Gilder Technology Report archived at gildertech.com The March 1998 issue of GTR is the one which addresses QWest most directly, although it is not yet available except to subscribers ($295/year for 12 issues). Much of GTR's content is published in the Forbes ASAP issue released about 6 - 8 weeks after the GTR, so the coming (June) issue of ASAP scheduled for release May 18 may contain a lot about QWest. The most recent ASAP Gilder installment available free online is a good start, found at: forbes.com Another particularly useful article is his February 1997 GTR, available online at gildertech.com and entitled "The Dark Fiber Paradigm" which discusses his views of the impact of "The Law of the Telecosm," which is that the total bandwidth of communications systems will triple every year for the next 25 years, and "Metcalf's Law," which is that the cost effectiveness of networks grows in exponential proportion to the number and power of terminals compatably attached to them. Gilder is not casual reading. He is both highly respected and controversial, but unknown to many, even in the field of technology. Many dismiss his opinions before gauging the extent to which "preposterous" things he was saying five years ago (still online today) have come true. In the January 1998 GTR, entitled "The Dumb Network Paradigm" he said, "...the revolution is underway. Bet on abundance wherever you can find its purveyers. Bet QWest and WorldCom." Doug (no position in QWest)