rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| Re: A bit pricey for cable. Why is it ALWAYS the assumption that prices will rise?
Prices should fall. Does the fiber get rusty with age? Does it pass less data the older it gets? Usually technology marches forward enabling faster and faster throughput while costs continue to drop.
At one time 9600bps over dialup was beyond belief. 56K was astonishing. Now our broadband connections are delivering data across the country at speeds faster than the original IBM PC's MFM fixed disk.
Tomorrow we'll laugh at 1Mbps. We'll be complaining because it our $50/month service is capped at 100Mbps or 1GBps. Of course the average web page will contain 10 megs of pictures that need to transfer to our computers in under a second to make the web experience pleasant. I fully expect half or even a majority of that the size to be ad related. | |
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 IAmTheEvilest
There Is Nothing Like A Restart
join:2001-01-03
Santa Barbara, CA
clubs:
| Re: A bit pricey for cable. Although fiber does not get rusty, it has a tendency to expand and contract. Sometimes, that can cause problems with data transfer. It is also a bit more prone to breakage than copper, and is more difficult to fix.
Not only that, components made for fiber networks have not been tested for a extended period of time, so we cannot yet determine the longevity of fiber.
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The two biggest things: the universe & human stupidity --Albert Einstein | |
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 | RocketShip
join:2002-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
| Re: A bit pricey for cable. So the phone and cable companies are upgrading to fiber optic because it is less reliable and more expensive than copper?
I don't think so. Every technology has its particular issues, but that doesn't change the fact that per unit of data transfer, fiber optic is VASTLY more dependable and cheaper than copper.
While what you state may be true, it doesn't affect the big picture. | |
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Shoriyuken
join:2002-12-19
Santa Rosa, CA
| Why do we assume prices will rise? Because so far cable prices always HAVE risen. Especially in my area.
[text was edited by author 2003-05-01 12:30:52] | |
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Dirk Daring
join:2000-08-03
Ashburn, VA | Re: A bit pricey for cable. Ditto in mine. Hell, Adelphia could add $20/more a month and probably keep 90% of subscribers. They have a monopoly here. DSL will never come because of fiber along every major street. | |
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jims2321
join:2000-04-05
Oviedo, FL
 ·AT&T Southeast
| History of Cable has been one of price rising and services declining. Nothing recently has changed that. In areas where there is no competition (about 80% of cable territories are captive, ie no competition), prices have on average risen 5 to 7% year over year. Don't be fooled by your current bill, because in two years you will be wishing for that price again. | |
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