Apple and the future of broadband
Here's a thought: the Internet boom of the late '90s was to some extent due to Apple's efforts to get people connected, by selling floppy-less computers and insisting exchanging files by email is the new way.
Now, a few years later, the market has changed and the focus is on broadband. According to a number of industry reports, broadband hasn't been taken up at the rate expected, with some claiming it's dead.
What could Apple do to kick-start the market again? It seems the only viable broadband strategy is cable -- could Apple bundle cable modems with Macs, do a deal with cable provider(s)? Or get the job done some other way?
Now, a few years later, the market has changed and the focus is on broadband. According to a number of industry reports, broadband hasn't been taken up at the rate expected, with some claiming it's dead.
What could Apple do to kick-start the market again? It seems the only viable broadband strategy is cable -- could Apple bundle cable modems with Macs, do a deal with cable provider(s)? Or get the job done some other way?
Comments
<strong>Here's a thought: the Internet boom of the late '90s was to some extent due to Apple's efforts to get people connected, by selling floppy-less computers and insisting exchanging files by email is the new way.
Now, a few years later, the market has changed and the focus is on broadband. According to a number of industry reports, broadband hasn't been taken up at the rate expected, with some claiming it's dead.
What could Apple do to kick-start the market again? It seems the only viable broadband strategy is cable -- could Apple bundle cable modems with Macs, do a deal with cable provider(s)? Or get the job done some other way?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Kick start the market?!?1 Well since my area (just 25 miles from NYC) and the towns around it haven't had ANY type of broadband offerings I guess making it available to MORE people would do the trick...
Problem is broadband usually focuses on the cities (well I guess they should) since that's where large groups of people are stuffed into a small area. But, those who like their space and or want to raise a family away from the evils of the 'big city' move out just a bit (like me).
Well in the east "Ma Bell" didn't think every town needed it's own CO and in fact many towns have their lines run two or three towns away before they hit the cental office (I'm 40k feet from the CO and I know some who are even further out than that)
DSL is a dead end at that distance and in the east (well New Jersey at any rate) Cable companies have a LOCK on a town in most areas and while I've been told cable modem access would be available 'in the fall' it doesn't mean a heck of a lot to me any more since I've heard that for two years and counting...
Wireless? Not in our area and with all the trees getting a line of sight to a tower would be too easy even if it were...
Long story short (too late) I'm footing a $150 per month bill for 70 hours of dual channel ISDN service... 128kbs for 70 hours a month (go over it and I pay 2 cents a minute)...
If Apple really wants to fix broadband they are gonna have to build a better mousetrap.. .. The last mile is what's killing broadband pure and simple.
Dave
[ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: DaveGee ]</p>
So you can either wait for DSL to pick up, somewhere in about 5 years, based on current market conditions (by then it will be obsolite
Anyway, there's a great article about it in popular science a couple of months ago (or was it popular mechanics -I'm not sure)
My want:
Lets get a wireless broadband w/networked servers- ie you wirelessly hook up to a local server, which is hooked up to a network of other servers, all of which have connections to satalites. At least one of the servers will have a good connection at all time if they are far enough apart. And the wireless fire wire that is mentioned in 1394.org will supposedly have a 10 mile range with microwave connection. Have a base station/ sat link every ten miles, each one able to push their data load onto the next server if they lose their satalight link due to bad weather. Eventually you will hit a server w/ a good link. This way, bad weather would only slow down your connection, not kill it.
[ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: river-wind ]</p>
<strong>Hovering stations transmitting signals 300-500 ft above the ground.</strong><hr></blockquote>
You think your cable modem service is pricey now?
I can't get any broadband where I live.
Conversly my dad in nowhereville Canada (population 13,500) now as Cable access. Yet they can't even offer it to everyone in NYC. Apparently, Canada is way ahead of the US in Broadband rollout, perhaps I should move back to Canada till they get it figured out here ........ <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
<strong>Here's a thought: the Internet boom of the late '90s was to some extent due to Apple's efforts to get people connected, by selling floppy-less computers and insisting exchanging files by email is the new way.
Now, a few years later, the market has changed and the focus is on broadband. According to a number of industry reports, broadband hasn't been taken up at the rate expected, with some claiming it's dead.
What could Apple do to kick-start the market again? It seems the only viable broadband strategy is cable -- could Apple bundle cable modems with Macs, do a deal with cable provider(s)? Or get the job done some other way?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Apple is doing enough by having ethernet standard on every max and has had that since 97.
there is no need to bundle cable modems or dsl modems. cable is not available everywhere. DSL is not available everywhere. both have advantages and disadvantages and there is no clear winner of the 2. not to mention the countless different protocols and standards out there and the fact that most companies provide a modem with service make this a very bad idea
<strong>As mentioned they simply need to offer it to more people. I live in Brooklyn NY & still don't have either Cable or DSL access. It's been "coming" for the last 2 years.
Conversly my dad in nowhereville Canada (population 13,500) now as Cable access. Yet they can't even offer it to everyone in NYC. Apparently, Canada is way ahead of the US in Broadband rollout, perhaps I should move back to Canada till they get it figured out here ........ <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
what's harder to update to today and tomorrow's standards? thousands upon thousands of lines of infrastructure in NYC or lightly populated Canada?
Check out companies like <a href="http://www.elastic.com"; target="_blank">www.elastic.com</a> and their etherloop technology.
<a href="http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/15463.html"; target="_blank">http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/15463.html</a>;
5GHz firewire? 802.11e?