[RFI] Response from Jim Fallows re his New York Times article

[Dave Bernstein]

Last Sunday, the New York Times carried an article by Jim Fallows
entitled "Is Broadband Out of a Wall Socket the Next Big Thing?". I sent
him an email message challenging several of his assertions, and posted
that message on this reflector. You'll find Jim's response appended
below, along with my follow-up.

      73,

          Dave, AA6YQ


From: James Fallows [mailto:JFallows at theatlantic.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 11:17 PM
To: photo at ambersoft.com
Subject: RE: BPL is not the Next Big Thing

Thanks for your note. I appreciate the careful explanation. I do
understand (a) the HomePlug/BPL distinction -- that's why the word
"variously" was plugged into that sentence, and (b) the ARRL point of
view. I've seen postings there over the years -- and have received
roughly one trillion emails from ARRL members in the last day to remind
me.. 

Agree too about the importance of WiMax, which again is why I mentioned
it as part of the next generation.  The main point is, there is a lot to
follow up later on. 

Thanks for your note, Jim Fallows


From: Dave Bernstein [mailto:dave.bernstein at comcast.net] 
Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 11:05 PM
To: JFallows at theatlantic.com
Cc: dave.bernstein at comcast.net
Subject: RE: BPL is not the Next Big Thing

Thanks for responding, Jim. 
 
If BPL were truly a breakthrough technology for distributing high-speed
digital data, the amateur radio community would be jumping though hoops
to coexist with it. BPL is not a breakthrough technology; its a bad deal
for power company investors, a bad deal for municipalities, and a bad
deal for consumers that's being promoted through a combination of hype,
misdirection, dishonesty, and political influence. It'd be one thing to
lose high-frequency radio spectrum to a valuable new application; it'd
be another to lose it to the technical and economic kludge that is BPL.
That's why you've received a trillion or so emails from ARRL members.
 
If I can be of help with your follow on efforts, you have only to ask.