Re: Broadband Economics 101 - Focus on the economics, not the technology

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: dewayne () warpspeed com (Dewayne Hendricks)
Date: December 17, 2008 6:24:17 PM EST
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <xyzzy () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Re: Broadband Economics 101 - Focus on the  
economics, not the technology

[Note:  This comment comes from reader Brett Glass.  DLH]

From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net>
Date: December 17, 2008 2:36:33 PM PST
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Subject: Dewayne - For your list, if you will (Re: Broadband economics)

> Robert Berger writes:
> There is no comparison of fiber to wireless. Wireless is for  
> ubiquity, fiber for bandwidth.

This is not correct. Wireless is not only just as good as fiber for  
bandwidth; it's better. As we're fond of saying when ADSL or cable  
modem service goes down in our area but we stay up, you can't dig up a  
wireless link with a backhoe.

This isn't to say that there aren't specific applications in which one  
or the other is more cost-effective. Fiber is generally more effective  
than wireless for links greater than 10 miles that carry large amounts  
of traffic, for example. But don't write wireless off as the "third  
pipe," because in fact it's the best alternative. And it's the only  
medium that can serve the areas where fiber will likely never run.

As an engineer, I always pick the medium that's best suited to the  
purpose. And for competitive last mile service, I specialize in  
wireless because it delivers far better cost/performance and superior  
reliability.

> As fiber is the arteries, wireless is the capillaries.

Not true. We have a 1.25 Gbps wireless link up and running now -- and  
faster speeds yet would be possible if the FCC allocated the spectrum  
for them.

> And I want an arterial connection to my home and office.

Do you need multiple gigabits of data? Are you prepared to pay for  
them? At $6 per Mbps per month -- the lowest wholesale pricing one can  
get nowadays at major peering points -- that's $6,000 per month per  
gigabit. And that doesn't include the cost of getting it to your home  
and office. If you're willing to pay that much, there are likely  
multiple vendors willing to string fiber (or any other medium you  
desire) to your home.

In any event, there is no excuse for denigrating and slandering our  
product.

--Brett Glass
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