Report: 99% DOCSIS 3.0 Coverage By 2013 > 99% coverage means less competition not hurting rollout

99% coverage means less competition not hurting rollout

More likely the 99% target can't be met by some
Comcast is deploying, TW claims testing (NYC only), charter is in bankruptcy and may not be able to raise capitol even if the court allows, and many small cable companies ( aggregate footprint greater than 1 % ) don't have the resources (techincal or financial) so that goal is BS..............UNLESS the FCC allows major consolidation in the industry (ie ends their 30% cap requirment )
So the likely end result of allowing cable to update to newer/ more competitive infrasturcture will be less diverse ownership/fewer but bigger companies, often a sign of a less competive (from the consumer side) industry.

reply to fAcEtIOUs

with 90K catv customers Service Electric isn't huge, but they aren't one of the 100's (1000's?) of small systems that serve 100 to 10-20,000 homes (the way MOST cable systems started, before they went thru multiple consolidations) many of which are already stretched thin provide cable and internet and maybe phone, and can't afford the plant upgrades.
Since "Broadband everywhere" is now a national priority, does it make more sense to pay/finance for many of these small companies to upgrade OR by simply changing a regulation allowing the mega corps to do it on their own, perhaps with some conditions attached. such as, no buying and holding for resale -- you buy it you would be required to bring it up to your national standard within X years and expand to cover unserved areas withing the footprint AND justify any price increases to a board ( esscentially reactiving local control/franchises but with limited powers to assure a consistant product at a resonable price, without the graft that occured in some areas.) if the community demanded higher/more expensive options (100% underground, 15 local access channels, free library or public service use-) then those costs plus a reasonable profit would effect local rates.

reply to fAcEtIOUs
Yeah and the fios areas will be docsis 5.0 getting gigabit speeds.