🚀 go-pugleaf

brad@clarinet.com (Brad Templeton) writes:

>The number of people with modems is actually quite high.  More than enough
>to demand cheap digital service to the home.

Perhaps.  What if you have to give up a POTS line to get digital access?
(Or are you willing to pay $700 for a digital phone?). What about rewiring 
your house?

>But saying that since nobody does data at home there is no need for it
>is like saying there was no need for the telephone because people didn't
>all keep a telegraph keyset in their homes.

Putting in digital access is EXPENSIVE.  Phone companies are risk adverse.
They are willing to pay lots of money if they can be guaranteed to make
lots more money.  Residential digital access has no guaranteed money
making application.  This is why no North American telephone company
is agressively pursuing *RESIDENTIAL* ISDN.  They are all waiting
for business to "pull it through".  In the words of one network 
marketing person "if someone wants it in their home, they can get it by
paying business rates".

It's going to take awhile folks.
j.borynec james@cs.ualberta.ca