Ethernet won (was: RE: [funsec] Not so fast, broadband...)

Wed Mar 14 03:20:32 UTC 2007

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007, andrew2 at one.net wrote:
> Sure, as long as you're willing to fork over the cash for CPE capable of
> handling OC-XX linecards.  The service cost is hardly the only cost
> associated with buying that kind of bandwidth.  It's amusing to me that
> we're worrying about FTTH when some of the largest carriers are still not
> capable of delivering ethernet handoffs in some of those same top 30 cities.
> Don't we need to get there first before we start wiring everyone's home with
> fiber and a small router with an SFP?

Bell Atlantic had ethernet access since the early 1990's, along with FDDI, 
SMDS, ATM, etc, etc, etc and whatever else various government agencies 
wanted to buy around Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC.  Now AT&T, 
Qwest and Verizon have metro ethernet access tariffs in major cities in 
each of their territories.  Ethernet seems to have won for data access
especially for 10Gbps and greater.

If you've got the money, they've got the ethernet for you.

Unfortunately, "I want it" isn't a good business case.