Re: When "free" is no longer free and other yarns

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

________________________________________
From: Bob Frankston [Bob19-0501 () bobf frankston com]
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2008 2:09 PM
To: David Farber; 'ip'
Subject: RE: [IP] When "free" is no longer free and other yarns

Remember that the real value of ISDN to the Telcos was the opportunity to reintroduce charging for local calls – all 
the copper already in place would be re-monetized! It failed because everyone scurried off to unmeasured POTS despite 
the technical advantages of ISDN. (In the US ISDN was also user-hostile but that’s a separate issue).

We’ve already been through why charging by the bit or the “bandwidth” makes no sense – it’s not a consumable nor 
something that can be valued out of context – too bad they expect us to fall for the same old story again. And too bad 
so many do.

Comcast is using their bad architecture as an excuse just like the telcos used their bad design to warn us against the 
evil modems. What incentive do give us more capacity – if they can avoid competing on commodity bits. They are correct 
in recognizing that a marketplace where the competition was framed in terms of bits is extremely problematic.

So they are pursuing a reasonable strategy – delaying the future it is so very bleak for them even if it is so bright 
for the rest of us.




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