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 : Winstar Comm. (WCII) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: MangoBoy who wrote (8128)	9/3/1998 12:21:00 PM
From: SteveG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12468

=Winstar Interview-2: As Reliable As Fiber Optics, Co. Says Not everyone, of course, is convinced of the virtues of the point-to-multipoint system. As with any new technology, analysts point out, there is an element of risk: In particular, some have wondered whether Winstar's antenna-based system could be adversely affected by weather in a way that underground fiber optics would not. Others say that Winstar may be overestimating the cost savings this technology will deliver. "The problem with point-to-multipoint has been the cost of access to individual buildings themselves - not the technology - and those costs can be extremely prohibitive," said Craig Ellis, a portfolio manager with Orbitex Management Inc. But Winstar officials maintain that the point-to-multipoint system has 99.999% reliability, on par with that of fiber optic systems. As for costs, officials said that the new system will allow Winstar to service 50 buildings for around $250,000 - $350,000 less than it would spend to hook up that number of sites under the existing point-to-point system, which Winstar employs in 27 markets. Both systems offer telecommunications and data services through wireless technology. But while point-to-point requires a set of antennas for each building, point-to-multipoint allows Winstar to serve multiple buildings from a single hub. Winstar, which has borrowed more than $1 billion in the junk bond market, also said it is fully financed to complete the roll-out of the point-to-multipoint network. -Craig Karmen / DJNews