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Technology Stocks : AUTOHOME, Inc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ftth who wrote (4274)	1/13/1999 9:39:00 PM
From: lebo	Respond to of 29970

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1999 Super-Fast Cable Modems Today? Jesse Berst, Editorial Director ZDNet AnchorDesk Remember when you were 15 and how you longed for your driver's license? How you envied your friends who could drive? And how it seemed like an eternity until you'd turn 16? A lot of people feel the same way about fast access. It's just around the corner for most of us -- and we envy those lucky few who have it now. Most pundits think cable modems have taken the lead over ADSL and satellite for fast access. And that it will be cable modems that give most people their introduction to high-speed surfing. With that in mind we've put together this guide to cable modems, so you'll be ready to take advantage of it when it arrives. And it could be sooner than you think. Consider this: Increased usage: @Home and Motorola both saw hefty sales increases in 1998. Analysts estimate 450,000 to 500,000 users jumped on the cable modem bandwagon last year. ADSL saw only 25,000 converts. Click for more. Forrester Research puts cable usage at 2 million by the end of 1999, and 80% of the broadband market by 2002. Investment in infrastructure: The National Cable Television Association reports cable operators will spend $33 billion before 2001 to upgrade infrastructures to deliver fast access. Click for more. Big name makes a stake: Networking giant Cisco used the Consumer Electronics show to announce new ventures in the cable arena, expanding from its traditional business market to create personal networks for the consumer market. Click for more. Although these facts and figures make for great cocktail party conversation, what you really want to know is how -- and if -- you can take advantage of cable modems right now. Availability is expanding, but still limited. Cable Modem University is your one-stop cable modem resource to discover what's available in your area and which ISPs support cable modems. Click for more. Other things to consider: True speed: Cable modems can reach a speed of 30 MBPS in theory. In practice, server issues and Ethernet cards needed with some modems make 500 KB to 1 MB a more realistic expectation, say some experts. Click for more. Which modem/service: The biggie services right now are @Home and Road Runner and Media One (the latter two have merged but are still known by their respective brands). Each tends to be more compatible with a particular brand of modem. For instance, @Home has a relationship with Motorola and Bay Networks. It's in your best interest to research modem and service options in tandem. Price: Buying the modem and setting up a service ranges from $100-200, with monthly service fees of $30 to $50. Bottom line: It will cost more to switch from phone line to cable modem. But everyone who's tried it loves it so far. If you can find it and afford it, get it. Agree? Disagree? Hit the TalkBack button below and send your thoughts. I'll post the best responses beneath this article. Or go to my Berst Alerts forum, where a discussion is underway. No Internet before breakfast — Fred Parnon After years of using a standard modem to access the Internet from home, last week we installed a cable modem (RCN in New York City). Suddenly the Internet is not just usable but enjoyable. Read More My experience to date is decidedly mixed — Sid Huff I've had cable modem service for about 3 months now. I can summarize it by saying 'when it works properly, it's a significant improvement over dialup.' The keyword there is WHEN. Read More The slightly higher cost is made up for by the SPEED — Tom Lazio Boy, was I surprised — Ray McGuire Cable Modems cost more, I think not — Tony Tarantino It's two dreams come true: — Sue Reading You can't imagine the thrill I get from this cable modem — Richard Lemon My only hesitation is the upload speed — Jim Morrison Do I love it? Let's put it this way ... — Philip Sykes The concept of cable modems is completely flawed for wide usage — Matt Pritchett Downloads are all but instantaneous — Gary Michaels Go with satellite — Kerry Gray Cable modems are almost a no-brainer — Jonathan Bayer Service can drop below the level of a 56k modem — Bob Delaney I spend much less time online now compared to when I had dial up — Victor Brown OK, where do I sign up? — Lyndon Giles Cable modems are smoke and mirrors — Michael Walters Frustrated and angry — Jay Clark The average download rate is more like 50-60K — Jim Boden Got it -- Love it! — Kevin Sims

To: ftth who wrote (4274)	1/14/1999 2:43:00 AM
From: Jing Qian	Respond to of 29970

The reason i am worried is that AOL is much stronger in terms of revenue and subscriber pool. If AOL successfully get into cable modem, ATHM loses the advantage in this race. So far AOL does have a better portal. However, I don't think AOL can successfully get into cable business. So far TCI is still the monopoly in the nation. Unless TCI is forced to open access by regulatory, AOL will not get the access.

To: ftth who wrote (4274)	1/14/1999 10:41:00 AM
From: ahhaha	Respond to of 29970

But Dave, don't you know that investors want monopoly as long as it's their monopoly. You see, it's bad in theory, but they think that monopoly maximizes profit. That's what Prof Fisher says at MIT and he's an expert. He knows what he needs to know. Else, why would he be a professor? And why would the government seek out his expert advice unless he knew what there is to know. No, monopoly is good as long as you're on the good side and government approved too. ATT was a government approved monopoly and look what it did for them. Didn't they have the power to simply raise telephone rates at will? And didn't they? The public will tell you that they did and stole trillions from the deserving peoples. According to them when it comes to thievery ATT was the king. Only a fool goes out in his drool.