| reply to SimonGibson
Re: Pay Per Byte is a Handicap to Progress Interesting Discussion - Just my 0.02 cents.
Cable TV service is pretty much split into two types: Video broadcast and VOD. Video Broadcast is a one way broadcast (transmit only) from the main Video Hub that bundles all the video content (channels analog or digital) along carrier fiber optics rings (sonet or dwdm), coax, fiber optics all the way to the subscriber's house. The bandwidth usage has already been calculated so customers can watch TV 24/7 and not put any stressed on the network if design properly.
Video on Demand (VOD) uses the LAN / Internet connection to obtain content from a variety of sources: carrier owned servers or external servers (netflix, webcam, slingbox, goggletub etc...). Service provider can only guesstimate on the VOD take rate. Port utilization monitoring will dictate future capacity adds. Which is extremely easy to figure out. However it's very expensive to build out network infrastructures, unless Uncle Sam would like to pitch in.
So Verizon willingness to open its network is a blessing in terms of progress. This is just the first of many steps to come. Of course Verizon will need upgrade it's wireless network that will cost billions more. We all want unlimited data usage, but we don't want to pay for. It's just a matter of time before wireless data speed surpass today's LAN connection 500Kbps - 3Mbps and LAN internet will probably increased to the 50, 100, 200Mbps.
Yes technology is expanding quite rapidly, but the challenge is still in the last mile. The future will only be faster and richer in content. The network will be built one way or another. I'm rambling now. Nuff said. |
