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

To: Keith Hankin who wrote (4477)	1/19/1999 2:19:00 PM
From: Scott Garee	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

Actually, this is a disadvantage. The fact that the bandwidth is shared means that it is more difficult to guarantee real-time delivery. I've seen this argument many times, but the reality is that ADSL goes over shared lines as well. You may have a private pipe back to the Telco, but from there it's just as shared (and oversubscribed) as anything else. You will have to compete for bandwidth with everyone else on the same switch and every other transmission medium back to the source. Actually, the pipes for ADSL delivery already exist, and thus the cable solution will cost more since much of it still needs to be deployed. There is plenty of infrastructure required to deploy ADSL in long established areas, just as for cable. Cable benefits from also being able to deliver digital TV on the new equipment, just as the telco's benefit from additional services over their new media. The primary driver in the cable/DSL war is going to be price. Someone mentioned that cable was supposed to have eliminated broadcast TV years ago, but hadn't. The reason is the monopolistic activity; high price and poor service. Had the cable industry been serious they could easily have eradicated roof-top antenna's, just as DBS eliminated C-Band dishes. A compelling price difference with a clear technology edge and good service will garner a big piece of a market. Right now a second phone line + ISP can't compete with cable for anyone with real bandwidth needs (or desires :). The pricing I've seen on DSL has been a joke, but they'll probably come around pretty quick in markets where they compete with cable. The bottom line is there is plenty of room for both for the foreseeable future. I don't think either is going to eliminate the other. FWIW: I've been an ATHM subscriber for ~6 months and have been extremely happy with them. I was hesitant at first due to TCI being involved, but they are nearly non-existant in the relationship.