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To: Chuzzlewit who wrote (94286)	2/3/1999 2:17:00 AM
From: JAMES BORECKI	Respond to of 176387

Chuzzlewit, I thought you might find this concept interesting. It presents another way of getting your foot in the door before the house is even built. <<IBM, Bell Atlantic Promote Network Tuesday, 2 February, 7:05 p.m. N E W Y O R K (AP) THOUSANDS OF home buyers on the East Coast will have the option of owning houses already installed with the latest computer-networking technology under an alliance announced Tuesday between IBM and Bell Atlantic. International Business Machines Corp. and Bell Atlantic Corp. agreed to work with home builders to equip houses with devices that let owners link together personal computers and electronics products into low-cost networks. The result isn't exactly Bill Gates' $53 million Seattle mansion, featuring a computer system that changes music, temperature, lighting and even digital artwork to match visitor preferences as people move from room to room. But the networking equipment, which costs home buyers from $1,000 to $10,000, lets different machines access the Internet through one account, exchange files and share the same VCR. IBM's most expensive version, which it calls a "home management system," enables people to operate all their electronics, from security systems to kitchen appliances, using a universal remote control. Analysts said the clout of IBM, the world's largest computer company, and Bell Atlantic, the nation's largest local-telephone company, could give consumers another reason to join the nascent home-networking trend. So far, just 4.8 percent of all home PCs are linked in networks, according to researcher Media Metrix Inc. But a recent increase in homes owning more than one computer - to more than one-third of the 46 million U.S. households with PCs - is expected to fuel demand in coming months, says International Data Corp., another research firm. While other manufacturers sell networking hubs in retail stores, IBM is focusing on pre-installing the devices in homes. One reason is its pricey home management system needs to be installed by on-site technicians. Also, home owners are less likely to put in the equipment after they buy a house, due to the expense and trouble of changing existing wiring. Targeting newly built homes "lowers the barriers considerably," said Kevin Hause, an industry analyst with International Data. Bell Atlantic Communications and Construction Services, a unit of the New York-based Baby Bell, has 3,500 workers to wire homes and install the IBM home-networking equipment to connect electronics products, such as PCs, TVs and VCRs. IBM has deals with home builders elsewhere, but Tuesday's is its biggest. Bell Atlantic officials said they expect to network about 15,000 homes in the East Coast this year, up from 2,000 last year, when Bell Atlantic only used its own home-networking equipment. "This gives us a huge increase in coverage," said IBM spokesman Andrew Hayden. >> If this catches on who is going to install all this stuff? Independent contractors. Where are they going to buy their best quality, lowest price materials???? Home Construction@DELL.com JimB