 | March 1, 2000 |
Blue-light special
ROLLOUT: Aggressive plan aims to take DSL mainstream
If retails shelves nationwide were stacked with ADSL modems at prices close to 56-kbit/sec modems, would that jumpstart broadband deployment for homes? Promatory Communications and Creative Labs think so. And their nationwide plans dwarf previous attempts at simplifying the difficult order and installation process that continues to hamper the market (see "Megabits for the masses").
Moreover, the duo claims to have a roadmap for G.lite ADSL services that will allow CLECs (competitive local exchange carriers) to quickly roll out services and generate revenue. Fast time-to-revenue is mandatory for many CLECs in their quest to offer data services that compete with ILECs (incumbent local exchange carriers) such as PacBell, Bell Atlantic, and Southwestern Bell.
In reality, Creative's modems will work with any G.Lite service provider, and Promatory's G.Lite equipment will work with other modems, but the two are presenting a unified campaign, called HomeDSL, to drive market penetration. Creative will introduce the Modem Blaster DSL at $129, and expects the price to drop below $100 in Q3. The modem will reach consumers through Creative's normal retail distribution channels, ranging from CompUSA to Wal-Mart. Crucially, Creative will provide customer support that presumably will allow consumers to order and install G.Lite service with no truck roll from the CLEC or ILEC (saving around $1000).
Promatory will supply its Intelligent Multiservice Access System DSLAM (digital subscriber line access multiplexer) mainly to CLECs, but also to ILECs. The DSLAM design allows CLECs to guarantee consumers a certain worst-case bit rate, such as 225 kbits/sec, while promising much higher rates, say 1 Mbit/sec, during non-peak hours. CLECs can set guarantees based on their backhaul capacity to the WAN and their expected customer base.
Promatory says its ADSL technology, along with the quality-of-service promise, will prove more attractive to subscribers than cable modems, which rely on shared media.
—by Maury Wright
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