broadband clarification

Thu Jul 5 21:41:56 UTC 2001

A cable modem is a modem.  All signalling between a cable modem and a CMTS
is done over an analog carrier using QAM and QPSK modulation schemes.

On Thu, Jul 05, 2001 at 02:34:52PM -0700, Larry Diffey wrote:
> Alright, for all of you who decided to lecture me on the definition of broadband and it's meaning in strict engineering terms, allow me to clarify (especially for the snotty ones).
> 
> First off, words can have more than one meaning and that meaning should be taken in context.  For example; I'm sure that none of you really think that a cable modem is a modem since it doesn't do AD/DA conversion but we all understand that it's simply a device used to connect a customer to a provider.  After all "cable modem" is nothing more than a marketing term so that customers have a rough understanding of what the device does (not that they always understand that either).
> 
> When I chose to use the term broadband as a reference point for my survey, I mistakenly thought that your brains would parse that out to mean "an minimum acceptable level of bandwidth for consumer internet traffic".  If you consider that to be current DSL/Cable speeds fine.  If you take that to mean some future technology using quantum mechanics fine.
> 
> So, if you're going to lecture me on the definition of bandwidth then please stop using the term modem unless you're talking about an actual modem device.
> 
> 
> The question then remains: What (in your opinion) constitutes broadband according to the services that have been promised to consumers but not yet delivered?
> 
> Yes, I understand that it's not just speed, but take everything else into account when  you consider the minimum speed.
> 
> Feel free to be immature enough to flame me for my lecture.
> 
> 
> Larry Diffey