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Technology Stocks : LAST MILE TECHNOLOGIES - Let's Discuss Them Here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (3834)	5/21/1999 3:56:00 AM
From: Darren DeNunzio	Respond to of 12823

Just think.... You could read about a telecast concert in TCI-owned TV Guide, see the band on MTV while watching AT&T-owned TCI cable, sign on to the Net via AT&T's WorldNet service, go to AT&T-owned music site SonicNet, listen to audio clips delivered via AT&T Labs audio codec, make a AT&T operator assisted telephone call, and pay for it all with your AT&T credit card. Geesh!

To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (3834)	5/21/1999 4:12:00 AM
From: Darren DeNunzio	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12823

AT&T and MediaOne Telephony Mesh By Jim Barthold AT&T Corp. meshes better with MediaOne Group Inc. than Comcast Corp. when it comes to telephony. AT&T will begin telephone service in its Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) properties by the end of this year, using conventional switched-circuit technologies over hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) broadband networks. It is also partnering with Time Warner Cable Communications Inc. MediaOne has already rebuilt most of its systems to deliver broadband switched-circuit telephony and is offering service in seven large markets. By acquiring MediaOne, AT&T gets the opportunity to test voice, video and data marketing schemes on already-established networks, rather than going through the process of upgrading TCI systems, then trialing the services. Comcast has said that it would wait until Internet Protocol (IP) telephony matures before it starts any big-time telephone service. The Philadelphia-based MSO inherited some switched gear as part of its Jones Intercable acquisition, but is trialing "conventional" telephone service only sporadically to multiple dwelling units (MDU). "MediaOne was pretty much in lockstep with our strategy, lifeline telephone, circuit-switched," said an executive from another top 10 MSO. "We would have loved to have had that marriage happen between us." Comcast-MediaOne, meanwhile, "that's like oil and water," the executive continued. Comcast officials insist that MediaOne's technology focus would fit into their plans. "Certainly, we've been negotiating with AT&T and others about telephony services and all those plans start with switched services, like MediaOne has," said Brad Dusto, SVP-engineering operations for Comcast Cable Communications Inc., at the time of the proposed merger. On the other hand, Dusto also pointed out, "We've also been pursuing PacketCable-type (IP) solutions with various vendors and we just think that our networks are better suited for the data world." Mark Coblitz, Comcast's strategic planning VP, and Steve Craddock, new media development VP, both have high profile positions on CableLabs PacketCable committees. MediaOne and AT&T, while supporting PacketCable, are not waiting for its resolution. "We stand ready to move to IP when it's ready for us," said Greg Braden, MediaOne's VP-digital telephone services. "We believe that IP telephony is going to continue to evolve and become a viable mass market platform. We don't think it's ready to do that today." Despite AT&T's posturing about next-generation telephone technologies, the company is anxious to use more conventional methods to get right into the business fast. "The current effort that's under way is, knowing that the underlying technology works, how do we build the right infrastructure?" explained Jerry DeFrancisco, EVP-AT&T Broadband & Internet Services. The other up-in-the-air question concerns MediaOne's digital set-top box deal with Royal Philips Electronics NV. AT&T, like Comcast, is committed to General Instrument Corp. and Scientific-Atlanta Inc. boxes, which use different, proprietary conditional access schemes from Philips' proposed open digital video broadcast (DVB) method.