[RFI] CNN.com - Internet access via power lines reborn inEurope - August 28, 2001

Andy Wallace andywallace@home.com
Sun, 2 Sep 2001 10:13:10 -0500


And you made a fortune shorting those bubble stocks, right?? :)

Andy K5VM

----- Original Message -----
From: "WA2BPE" <wa2bpe@exotrope.net>
To: "Jon Ogden" <jono@enteract.com>
Cc: "George Johnson" <w1zt@mediaone.net>; "RFI" <rfi@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 02, 2001 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: [RFI] CNN.com - Internet access via power lines reborn
inEurope - August 28, 2001


> The problem with only fiber and no satellite is rural areas (and some
> not-so-rural).  Until the 'phone companies completely "rewire" *all* lines
with
> fiber, there will be many areas with no high-speed connections except by
> satellite; latency,  prop. delay, tapping issues aside (we won't even talk
about
> problems where they effectively "crash and burn" - a bit hard to send
someone with
> a bucket truck to take a look!).  And, I agree completely that
"secure/untappable"
> is an oxymoron.
>
>  The issue of "rewiring" is both financial, technical, and regulatory.
Financial
> in that there is a huge investment that must first must be written down be
it
> 'phone lines or cable TV. Technical; there are still many pieces of
hardware that
> have not yet been designed or are expensive/primitive - e.g., check out
the price
> of an optical modem.  What is needed are small "taps" that can be placed
on the
> optical waveguide line to provide bidirectional communications; these
could be all
> optical or a small "modem" powered by the coax from the house - at some
point (for
> the forseeable future) one must eventually convet the optical information
to
> electrical.  It is still tough to make high-effeciency lasers (at the
correct
> wavelengths) and how channelization may occur is not yet completely clear.
> Regulatory: there is a serious fight among the 'phone companies, cable
companies,
> and satellite providers for the market - all will lobby (kind choice of
word here)
> the policy makers (all countries) to the hilt.  Of course, the present
turndown in
> telecom doesn't help a bit and delays are certain.  As one involved in the
> photonics business (R&D level) I (and mny of my peers) still find it
unbelievable
> that people being paid huge $$$$$$$$ could not see when the balloon was
going to
> burst.
>
> 73,  Tom - WA2BPE
>
> Jon Ogden wrote:
>
> > on 8/31/01 2:34 PM, WA2BPE at wa2bpe@exotrope.net wrote:
> >
> > > The real answers to broadband are satellite and fiber optics to the
home (or
> > > at least to the curb).
> >
> > Well, satellites have horrible latency issues and propagation delays.
Makes
> > for game problems, steaming video conferencing, etc.  At least 250
> > milliseconds of delay.  And since your internet feed is being broadcast
from
> > geosynchronous orbit, half the entire world could pick up your internet
data
> > if they wanted too.
> >
> > So I don't find satellite to be any less "private" than power line or
cable
> > modems.  And anyhow, since all our communication goes over an internet
> > backbone, nothing is really "private."
> >
> > I do agree - fiber to the home is the best solution.
> >
> > My problem with the power line issue is that of the radiation and
> > interference for sure.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Jon
> > NA9D
> >
> > -------------------------------------
> > Jon Ogden
> > NA9D (ex: KE9NA)
> >
> > Member:  ARRL, AMSAT, DXCC, NRA
> >
> > http://www.qsl.net/ke9na
> >
> > "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
>
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