nanog mailing list archives
Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access
From: johnl () iecc com (John R. Levine)
Date: 23 Jan 1998 03:19:37 -0000
Today there was an article in the sci-tech section of cnn.com mentioning that Microsoft was teaming up with Intel and Compaq to offer xDSL service to the homes for a very low price. They claim to be able to provide Internet access "30 times faster" than regular modems.
The announcement also said that four of the five baby Bells (all but BA) are also in on the deal so they'll all use common xDSL standards, something that's been a problem in the past. But the important thing they did not say (and which may be of some interest to NANOG) was what is supposed to happen to the packets once they whiz down the DSL wire from the consumer to the phone company central office, since DSL data, unlike ISDN or regular dialup connections, doesn't go through the phone switch. Whoever handles that IP traffic needs a router or something similar next to the phone switch to connect to those DSL pairs. Do the Bells plan to hand all the traffic to their oh-so-independent ISP subsidiaries? Will it be gold rush time as every ISP in the country scrambles to get colo space for a router in every central office in the territory they want to serve? Do the Bells plan to sell MAN connections between telco-run routers at the phone office and the ISPs? Who knows? But I think I can say with confidence that whatever the plan is, it won't be pretty. -- John R. Levine, IECC, POB 727, Trumansburg NY 14886 +1 607 387 6869 johnl () iecc com, Village Trustee and Sewer Commissioner, http://iecc.com/johnl, Finger for PGP key, f'print = 3A 5B D0 3F D9 A0 6A A4 2D AC 1E 9E A6 36 A3 47
Current thread:
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access, (continued)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Geoff White (Jan 23)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Dalvenjah FoxFire (Jan 23)
- RE: Microsoft offering xDSL access David Lemson (Jan 26)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Sharif Torpis (Jan 24)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Geoff White (Jan 24)
- Re: [nanog] Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Stephen Balbach (Jan 23)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Pete Ashdown (Jan 23)
- Message not available
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access HawkeWerks Multimedia (Jan 23)
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- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Jay R. Ashworth (Jan 23)
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- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Jay R. Ashworth (Jan 23)
- RE: Microsoft offering xDSL access David Lemson (Jan 26)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Henry Linneweh (Jan 23)
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Jeremy Porter (Jan 23)
- Message not available
- Re: Microsoft offering xDSL access Jay R. Ashworth (Jan 23)