Rootes(at)aol.com writes:
>Of course, the old copper wires are still there - you've never seen
>anyone
>taking them down when they install the fiber-optic, right? Hmmm....
>maybe in
>a few years, when modem speeds jump again, they'll start offering
>special
>data lines at premium prices. After all, with local access phone
>numbers all
>over , who was losing out big time on the internet phenomenon??
Copper lines are capable of carrying much higher speeds through their
lines, just look at DSL (ethernet and T1 also run thru copper). It
uses a traditional phone line. The difference is that the throughput
(the actual bandwidth you get, as opposed to the theoretical ideal)
limits the signal by various means (i.e., routers, hubs, modems,
distance from the router, etc.). It's just another way for the phone
company (or the cable company, for that matter) to get more money from
you.
I firmly believe that DSL, wireless and other high bandwidth internet
access systems will not become mainstream until the price comes down
significantly. With the rate that computers and the internet are
changing, those providers will have no choice but to lower their
prices. Just look at MP3's, they will change the face of music and
intellectual property. It can take hours, even days to download some
MP3's over 28k lines. Soon we will see massive amounts of streaming
video, movies, books and other forms of entertainment begin to sweep
the web. In the very near future, DVD's will be outmoded. As with
MP3's, you will not need a disc to watch movies, only a device to play
that which you have downloaded from the net. We are in for some very
big changes in the next 5-10 years, my friends.
CNA
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Sep 05 2000 - 08:49:35 CDT