Re: Cable Modem [really more about PPPoE]

[Steve Schaefer <schaefer () simone dashbit com>]

On Tue, 26 Jun 2001, Chris White wrote:

> From a configuration management
> standpoint PPPoE has advantages especially in a residential environment as
> you do not need to reconfigure the PVC when the end user changes
> providors.


Aha!  Now we come to the business problem that PPPoE solves for the
carrier.  I gained a keen appreciation of the difficulty of scaling
per-user provisioning when I worked for a DSL CLEC.

That makes an enormous amount of sense.  When the end user changes ISP's,
there is no change to the carrier network.

What doesn't make sense is that SBC made a business choice at the same
time that requires them to get involved.  Since SBC is forcing the ISP to
bill for the line, SBC has all kinds of administrative changes to make.
Whatever scripts they have to auto-configure the authentication mechanism
could reasonably handle the PVC provisioning instead.


-Steve