Nice dream

Post #258,358 by ben_tilly 6/9/06 10:22:37 PM Reply	Nice dream Won't work. The problem is not backbone. The problem is the last mile. And building a network to compete with the telecoms is expensive to build. With cable or telephone it averages about $1500/house. That figure is fairly constant across many cities. Microsoft's infamous cash reserves would not suffice to create a competing network out of thin air. Secondly companies are pragmatic. If Comcast slows eBay's traffic, it would be suicide for eBay to retaliate by blocking Comcast outright. Because most Comcast customers are locked in to Comcast in the near future, they are not locked in to eBay. And if eBay voluntarily gave up a large share of its market, eBay would suddenly be faced with not being the market leader. This would get very ugly, very fast. And even in the unlikely event that eBay succeeded in forcing Comcast to change its bullying ways, eBay would have just opened the door for a competitor (eg Amazon) to take over the online auction business. No, Google et al are worried because the telecom companies ARE left with the power in this relationship, and everyone knows it. Cheers, Ben I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
Post #258,393 by Simon_Jester 6/10/06 9:07:32 AM Reply	There is a risk there.... but it's not the last mile that is the problem. We've shown that ISPs can handle the last mile easily enough. I've got friends that started (and sold off) their ISP business. I've got one now that's doing wireless (he built a tower on his land) because he couldn't DSL/Cable for high speed and he needed it. So he had them pipe T1 to his place and put up a tower and provide ISP service to neighbors offset the cost. The trunks are the issue. The people behind this are MCI, BellSouth, AT&T etc who own the trunks. They do have a point -- the VoIP is going to eat their regular trunk business (which is where their bread and butter has been) in the couple of years. And I still say that the content providers can (if they're brave enough to do it) cause far more havoc for the trunk owners than vice versa. I have switched services (from Cablevision to DSL) because of poor access. I've got a friend that's switched twice. And with services like Gmail and others...the cost of switching (not actual dollars, but the pain involved) grows less each day. Google et. al. are worried. But I think everyone has been looking at this wrong.
Post #258,411 by bepatient 6/10/06 1:29:05 PM Reply	Last mile can be overcome access to the pipes is becoming ubiquitous...the telcos don't hold all the cards as they used to. Media companies can replace them...and are. Comcast is NOT a telco. AOL/Time Warner is NOT a telco. Between them they provide quite a bit of access. They rely on the big boys for the backbone. Even >that< isn't as much a barrier to entry as it used to be. Many here are thinking about the development of the net as it was. That is not where it is going...the players are blurring the lines between content and access...and that will continue. Net neutrality is absolutely critical to this natural evolution process. Of course...this is my opinion. I don't think I would have held the same opinion without the last 12 months of employment in the telecom biz, though. We get alot of "futurespeak" guys to come in...and one of them gave a presentation on the convergence of players in net space...it was eye-opening. If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. _{Fudd's First Law of Opposition} [link\|mailto:bepatient@aol.com\|BePatient]
Post #258,420 by boxley 6/10/06 7:51:33 PM Reply	Indian Guy from Atlanta? Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
Post #258,645 by bepatient 6/12/06 5:20:46 PM Reply	Nope..he's from upstate NY. Written a couple of books...runs a "consultancy". Was invited to speak not too long ago...was actually pretty good. If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. _{Fudd's First Law of Opposition} [link\|mailto:bepatient@aol.com\|BePatient]
Post #258,661 by boxley 6/12/06 6:43:35 PM Reply	must be an Industry of their own then Guy we had gave a "competetive landscape" 1 day course that reinforced some of my own thinking over the last few years. thanx, bill Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep

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