[wplug] cheap DSL in Pittsburgh?

[Brent M. Rust]

Like I said earlier, Wireless Broadband is available, through PulseNet.

You must also remember, it's not all over (the Pittsburgh area) because
Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Adelphia and others are huge conglomerates and
they can buy products at such a low cost, they don't let the small guys
compete.

It costs PulseNet (and most likely other smaller ISP's) several hundred
dollars for customer premise equipment. Compare that with the big guys
that can buy millions or at the least tens of thousands of pieces for
less than a hundred dollars. You do the math.

It comes down to the consumer, who wants CHEAP DSL IN PITTSBURGH, you
get what you ask for.
It takes tons of money, tight contracts and people willing to pay a
little more than the big guys in order to get choices.

You must also realize that some carriers (phone and cable/TV) are
protected by federal law and other companies cannot compete in certain
markets. Pittsburgh has some protected carriers, and no one can move
into that area. Townships have contracts that allow certain carriers in,
and keep others out.

Don't forget the advertising issue too. The big guys can use adverts
because they have millions of dollars to do just that. The locals would
buy more and better equipment with the millions of dollars, if it had
it. Most people go with Verizon or Comcast because they see it on TV or
hear it on radio. PulseNet uses word of mouth mostly. I can't say for
the other locals. There's always the yellow pages, which too are
expensive.

So, before you jump on the "no choice" bandwagon, there are mitigating
factors.

~Brent




-----Original Message-----
From: wplug-bounces+rust=lucasware.com at wplug.org
[mailto:wplug-bounces+rust=lucasware.com at wplug.org] On Behalf Of Drew
from Zhrodague
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 3:23 PM
To: General user list
Subject: Re: [wplug] cheap DSL in Pittsburgh?

> > 	That won't be offered here. Pittsburgh does not have the density
or 
> > the cashflow for them to even bother with laying new fiber to each 
> > and every home.
> > 
> 
> Maybe not in Pittsburgh, but Cranberry definitely has some fiber loops

> close to a lot of residential area.

	Right, but fiber near != fiber installed. Level3 has a colo here
in the South Side, but that doesn't mean I get any of that -- and I'm
four blocks away!


> > 	This is why I got interested in wireless networking way back
when. 
> > Prolly the cheapest possible way to deploy the most ammount of
bandwidth. 
> 
> I'll agree with that, especially these days.  But this isn't an option

> for a lot of folks, unfortunately.  At least none that I know 
> personally.

	Of course, but this discussion is here because people are no
longer satisfied with the 9600bps, 14.4kbps, or even (sub)56Kbps modems.

People are not satisfied with their 300-400-500-600Kbps DSL either, and
that makes me mad -- mad that Verizon pretends to be the only game in
town, and madder still that PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT.

	I actually had to leave Pittsburgh for several years because
there was not enough bandwidth for me!

	There are options, and where there aren't options, there are
still options. I am appaled at how few people are interested in wirless
networking here in this City, even as a analog-dialup replacement.
Drives me nuts!


-- 

Drew from Zhrodague		http://www.WiFiMaps.com
drew at zhrodague.net		Location Based WiFi

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