4 ms·

Here in the US I think the killer app is breaking the local cable company’s monopoly on providing high speed internet to the home.

by gerad 4y ago

PaulHoule 4y ago
Somewhat, but the carriers are kinda half-hearted about it, particularly when they talk with investors. FWA users use a lot of gigabytes per dollar that they spend and if the carrier thinks in terms of that metric it may see it as bad for business, possibly cannibalizing more expensive mobile plans. FWA is a spotty solution anyway. Economically it works best in the ‘WebPass model’ where you server a whole apartment building in an urban area that has a clear line of site. Rural carriers are averse to maintaining their copper networks, never mind installing fiber. If you are fortunate you have a line of site to a tower but probably you are less fortunate. When you head south from Ithaca, NY you encounter a dissected plateau at an altitude around 2000 feet. There is no ‘highest hill’. A tower on one ridge can sorta see into the immediately adjacent valleys (though the sides may be steep enough to still make shadows) and under 1 GHz maybe into the next valleys over. Heading South down to Alabama the mountains get bigger but it is basically the same story, where FWA goes to die. It is delusional that it could be cost-effective or even effective universally because in a lot of cases there isn’t even a road or a power line at the top of the ridge. FWA really does create competition for people where geography is favorable but it is no answer for the many people still stuck with slow DSL.
- jaredhallen 4y ago
  > Rural carriers are averse to maintaining their copper networks, never mind installing fiber. My rural area is served by an independent telco/ISP. They would agree with the part about maintaining copper, but installing fiber has actually been their solution due to the lower cost of ownership over the long term. I wish more carriers saw it that way.
_huayra_ 4y ago
I went to tmobile's 5g internet after Comcast refused to negotiate better terms on renewal. I live in a HCOL metro but have yet to be hooked up to the local fiber company, so although this 5g home internet isn't so great (high latency, trash-tier upload speeds), download is good and it is great to have an option against the Comcastopoly.
JohnFen 4y ago
Except what's the point? You're just ditching one terrible communications megacorp for another.

Here in the US I think the killer app is breaking the local cable company’s monopoly on providing high speed internet to the home.

by gerad 4y ago

Here in the US I think the killer app is breaking the local cable company’s monopoly on providing high speed internet to the home.

PaulHoule 4y ago

Somewhat, but the carriers are kinda half-hearted about it, particularly when they talk with investors. FWA users use a lot of gigabytes per dollar that they spend and if the carrier thinks in terms of that metric it may see it as bad for business, possibly cannibalizing more expensive mobile plans. FWA is a spotty solution anyway. Economically it works best in the ‘WebPass model’ where you server a whole apartment building in an urban area that has a clear line of site. Rural carriers are averse to maintaining their copper networks, never mind installing fiber. If you are fortunate you have a line of site to a tower but probably you are less fortunate. When you head south from Ithaca, NY you encounter a dissected plateau at an altitude around 2000 feet. There is no ‘highest hill’. A tower on one ridge can sorta see into the immediately adjacent valleys (though the sides may be steep enough to still make shadows) and under 1 GHz maybe into the next valleys over. Heading South down to Alabama the mountains get bigger but it is basically the same story, where FWA goes to die. It is delusional that it could be cost-effective or even effective universally because in a lot of cases there isn’t even a road or a power line at the top of the ridge. FWA really does create competition for people where geography is favorable but it is no answer for the many people still stuck with slow DSL.

jaredhallen 4y ago
> Rural carriers are averse to maintaining their copper networks, never mind installing fiber. My rural area is served by an independent telco/ISP. They would agree with the part about maintaining copper, but installing fiber has actually been their solution due to the lower cost of ownership over the long term. I wish more carriers saw it that way.

_huayra_ 4y ago

I went to tmobile's 5g internet after Comcast refused to negotiate better terms on renewal. I live in a HCOL metro but have yet to be hooked up to the local fiber company, so although this 5g home internet isn't so great (high latency, trash-tier upload speeds), download is good and it is great to have an option against the Comcastopoly.

JohnFen 4y ago

Except what's the point? You're just ditching one terrible communications megacorp for another.