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.
I know I saw a reference to "...wiring everyone's homes..." in the
exchange above, so...
Perhaps, depending on the last-mile and the consumer/business
distinction, but up through the late 90's, all that was available
to consumers (at best) was ISDN in Bell Atlantic territory -- at
least in Northern Virginia. I left that area around 2000.
If you've got the money, they've got the ethernet for you.
Unfortunately, "I want it" isn't a good business case.
True enough, and let's not confuse "business services" with
"consumer services." The telcos/cablecos don't.
perhaps not. but there is a real issue w/ the number
of businesses that operate from the home (according to
some numbers this is as high as 65% of all US business)
and the telcos still retain a mindset of business areas
and residential areas. It is not possible to get some
"business services" deployed in a "residential" area.
For example, the new AT&T wanted to charge me 45,000.00
for a 120meter build into my home... it was cheaper
to lease office space and then they did the buildout
for free. The MRC was/is the same. The point being,
there are artifical constructs that define where "business"
and "consumer/residential" services can be offered.
persuading a telco, one home-based business at a time,
that regardless of the zoning - there are really 65% of
those apartments running businesses and want business-class
services is an exercise in futility.
perhaps not. but there is a real issue w/ the number
of businesses that operate from the home (according to
some numbers this is as high as 65% of all US business)
and the telcos still retain a mindset of business areas
and residential areas. It is not possible to get some
"business services" deployed in a "residential" area.
...
persuading a telco, one home-based business at a time,
that regardless of the zoning - there are really 65% of
those apartments running businesses and want business-class
services is an exercise in futility.
It depends what "business" services you mean. If you want a T1 or SONET pipe, yeah, you're going to hit a serious wall even if the fiber runs through your property.
However, most telcos have "business" DSL and "residential" DSL, and the physical layer is the same (ditto for cable, all the way back to @Home vs @Work). The only differences are the AUP, the price tag, and the ability to get static IPs. Expect to pay 2-3x for the same bit rate; higher bitrates may be available with "business" service, but the upload rates still suck because their gear is designed for consumers. Sticking with "residential" service for your home office will pay for basic server colo space somewhere else, and you'll get more for your money.
S
Stephen Sprunk "Those people who think they know everything
CCIE #3723 are a great annoyance to those of us who do."
K5SSS --Isaac Asimov
dark/dim glass - don't want SONET, too expensive. want
1g - 10G to the meet-me. I should move to Stockholm, Tokyo,
Seoul, or some other enlightened place that sees that type
of service in a viable business model. No bundling please.
