what will all you who work for private isp's be doing in a few years?

Thu May 12 22:41:55 UTC 2005

>bottom line is that in a few years everything will be virtualized and
>cosolodation will rule the land.

I've heard this over and over again, and it's just not happened.  I'm 
still one of the few 100% facilities based dial ISPs left in Iowa, 
and if I have to be reduced to being a reseller to survive, I'll just 
close shop.  But I don't see that happening.  Sure, dial up will 
eventually be a niche service, and that's fine, as most of my revenue 
will be from other sources by the time that happens.  If I ever have 
to become a dial up reseller, it will be because my core business has 
moved in another direction.

>  there will be single turnkey solutions
>for the end user / corporate environment that will be infinitely
>configurable to meet the latest trends and needs.

Are you in a marketing department of some BigCo?  "Let's produce a 
single product that 100% of all customers can use, and that can 
change depending on the latest fad of the day, and we'll rule the 
marketplace!"  If it were possible, wouldn't someone have already 
done that?  It sounds like something that would make for a good 
Dilbert comic strip.

>there will be no use
>for the small time 'innovator' or 'player' except in a purely academic
>environment.
>
>

You must be new to this game.  :-)

In Capitolism, there is always an innovator.  They drive technology 
forward, and then the mainstream follows.   You're under the false 
assumption that there will reach a point where there is nothing to 
innovate in the areas of last mile IP net access, and consolidation 
will make a single, regulated monopolistic provider.

I think we know that scenario won't be allowed to happen.  By the 
federal government regulators (I suppose that depends on the FCC), by 
state regulators, or competition/capitalism in general.

BigCableCo, and BigTelco can fight over customers all they want, I'll 
be happy with the table scraps.  And since "single miracle product 
that can be everything for everyone, and perfectly meets everyone's 
needs" doesn't exist, and won't ever exist, there will be plenty of 
scraps to be had.

-Jerry