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

To: ahhaha who wrote (10400)	6/5/1999 1:22:00 AM
From: E. Davies	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29970

Tell me, who knows how to effectively use ATHM's network, ATHM or some damn copper ISP? Its AT&T's network that people want to get to. Of course ATHM knows how to use that better than anyone too. The question is how many "copper ISP's" are willing to invest what it takes to develop a broadband ISP function vs. rent it from @home. Its not cheap, its not easy, and ATHM has gotten there first. But its not that hard either. Plenty of people are capable of it, though the "copper ISP's" like AOL are not in that group. I'd imagine they start by using ATHM then they just hire someone like WCOM to put it together until they finally get to the point where they can run it themselves. It doesnt strike me as a long term success story to be a broadband "dumb pipe" middleman. Middlemen get shoved out eventually. Bottom line is that no matter what ATHM can and will find a way to prosper. But will the stock? They have to have "great expectations" as great as your imagination can hold for the stock price to not be valued on mundane things like PE ratio on next years earnings estimates. Personally I think the "great expectations" will hold. Broadband is the future, ATHM is at the heart of broadband. Eric

To: ahhaha who wrote (10400)	6/5/1999 2:02:00 AM
From: Peter Arato	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

I don't understand why open access to ATT cable services is an issue to the ATHM business model. ATHM is not an ISP. ATHM sells services to cable companies, who then act as the ISP to the end customer. For example, in Canada ATHM sells high speed connectivity to ROGERS and SHAW cable, who cover the majority of the Canadian cable market. Rogers and Shaw then sell internet access services to subscribers. ATT invested in ATHM, but ATHM is not dependent on ATT for subscribers. ATT will take the same position in the business model as Rogers and Shaw and will sell internet access services to its cable subscribers. ATT, as a major investor, will use ATHM internet connectivity for its cable services. But, in the event that open access is provided through the ATT cable head end, ATHM will still get it's subscriber fee. In fact the more open the use, the more business ATHM will garner. So, while this may cut into ATT margins, where is the down side for ATHM??