IP: Re: The Broadband Economy

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> From: "Dana Blankenhorn" <danablankenhorn () mindspring com>
> To: <farber () cis upenn edu>
> Subject: Re: The Broadband Economy
> Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:38:46 -0500
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1
>
> This is what happens when politicians start fulminating on technical
> subjects.
>
> The "broadband bill" she mentions is the Tuazin-Dingell subsidized monopoly
> bill. She sloughs it off as "too little" and then demands outright
> government subsidies to light the optical cables.
>
> But look closely at this -- "Laying a second line to these customers can
> cost $1,500 per customer." That sounds like an extreme amount of money. But
> nearly every business, and most consumers, can easily afford it. It's about
> what they pay for a PC now. And given the long-term value of the upgrade
> (something you don't get in a PC, whose value declines with time) it's
> certainly possible to write a loan on it. Over two years, at present
> interest rates, you're talking about less than $100/month.
>
> This "user pays" theory isn't even discussed enough to be dismissed. Neither
> is 802.11, another technology well-known to this list. Its latest iteration,
> 802.11g, supports speeds to 11 Mbps. There's also an adjunct, 802.1x, which
> with a simple firmware upgrades supports authentication and security.
>
> Dana Blankenhorn   http://www.a-clue.com
> @Have Modem, Will Travel  dana () a-clue com
> Ph: 404-373-7634   fax: 404-378-0794

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