more on FCC Final Rule on Broadband Power Line Systems & AARL Related News

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: vijay gill <vgill () vijaygill com>
Organization: vijay gill global logistics
Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2005 22:39:15 +0000
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Cc: Ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Re: [IP] FCC Final Rule on Broadband Power Line Systems & AARL
Related News


For IP if you wish.


On Sat, Jan 08, 2005 at 01:15:25PM -0500, David Farber wrote:
> services using electric utility companies' power lines. This new technology
> offers the potential for the establishment of a significant new medium for
> extending broadband access to American homes and businesses. Given that
> power lines reach virtually every residence and business in every community
> and geographic area in this country, Access BPL service could be made
> available nearly everywhere."
>  

This is a harder task than it looks. Utility companies make telcos look
like fast-movers in comparison. Building a network from scratch
especially at rates needed to compete with DSL and cable is _hard_ to
do. Building it for reading meters is not so hard. Building 4 mb/s down
to the average consumer, not so easy, especially if you want to have
competitive pricing.

Why is it hard? Leaving aside the network construction aspect, which
many vendors would be happy to do for you at inflated pricing, you have
the management and operational aspect of the thing. Spam control team,
abuse desks, network monitoring, security for the network, are all items
that are non-trivial to implement well and getting good talent for those
that is willing to work in most utility-type work environments and
thought modes is harder.

There is probably a good business opportunity, pending regulation and
court issues, for an @home type startup in this space that rolls up the
above tasks and offers it to the utility companies.

/vijay

------ End of Forwarded Message


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