New type of broadband

[ElFenix]

Since AT&T inherited a huge amount of cable infrastructure with DirecTV (cables connect your satellite dish to your television), it wouldn't be too hard or expensive to connect those cables with AT&T's fiberoptic cable service in your neighborhood.

wat

 

[Drako]

Since AT&T inherited a huge amount of cable infrastructure with DirecTV (cables connect your satellite dish to your television), it wouldn't be too hard or expensive to connect those cables with AT&T's fiberoptic cable service in your neighborhood.

wat

LOL, yeah, the entire article is pretty much BS filler.

 

[boomerang]

Those speeds over phone lines in a lab? I'm skeptical.

Those speeds over the phone lines in place in much of the country? A pipe dream.

I have two residences and at both the phone lines are in such poor shape that they can't keep noise off the lines when a phone call is being made. I know people with DSL in both locations that are fit to be tied. The techs that come out to the house say there are no plans to restring massive amounts of phone cables, that they have run out of functional pairs and that the whole situation is maddening to them.

 

[Zstream]

LOL, yeah, the entire article is pretty much BS filler.

Not really. The largest expense isn't running cable around the house. It's the cost of going inside the house and wiring it that eats at margins.

With DTV, they have wire already running inside the house that would not require install time.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Not really. The largest expense isn't running cable around the house. It's the cost of going inside the house and wiring it that eats at margins.

With DTV, they have wire already running inside the house that would not require install time.

I was just going to say this its about the home wiring it works over phone line & coaxial cable.

 

[Ketchup]

wat

I didn't quite get that either, but whatever. If I represent any noticeable percentage of high speed customers, this is going to be worth the investment.

Me: there is no way I would move to DSL unless we move to an area where that is the only viable option. Do I pay a couple dollars more per month? Sure. But for 10x the speed in a house running Netflix, YouTube, and other general web surfing, all with better reliability (at least in my area), it is well worth it!

 

[Spacehead]

They need to do something so rural people can get high speed internet aside from making urban people pay for it like we paid for them to get phones lines and electricity.

Yes, yes they do. It would be nice to have more than one option for high speed.

 

[Jeff7]

All this and yet regular phone calls still sound like the lines are filled with mud and cotton rather than fiber or copper.

 

[Svnla]

I am skeptical. Too good to be true. Stay tuned.

 

[Drako]

Not really. The largest expense isn't running cable around the house. It's the cost of going inside the house and wiring it that eats at margins.

With DTV, they have wire already running inside the house that would not require install time.

LOL, really?

They want to serve multiple houses. DTV does not do that. It's a point to point with DTV, and that's not what this is about.

 

[Pulsar]

Yes, yes they do. It would be nice to have more than one option for high speed.

One?

Try freaking NONE. The WISP provider advertises 750 k down max for $75/month. Yet they max out at around 125 K. Cable stops 1 mile short of us with no plans to extend. DSL stops one mile short of us with no plans to extend. 4GLTE is the best we can get and actually is what we use, but the prices are high and the data caps are evil. Satellite is a non-starter because prices are ridiculous, speeds are like molasses during any times that you actually want to use it.

As usual, the federal government has their head in the sand on this one, even though they promised to fix it a long long time ago.

 

[Drako]

One?

Try freaking NONE. The WISP provider advertises 750 k down max for $75/month. Yet they max out at around 125 K. Cable stops 1 mile short of us with no plans to extend. DSL stops one mile short of us with no plans to extend. 4GLTE is the best we can get and actually is what we use, but the prices are high and the data caps are evil. Satellite is a non-starter because prices are ridiculous, speeds are like molasses during any times that you actually want to use it.

As usual, the federal government has their head in the sand on this one, even though they promised to fix it a long long time ago.

Don't worry, we will all have free balloon 5g in a couple of years.

 

[slag]

Would like to see more about this technology and how it differs from traditional DSL in terms of how they cram all that data onto the same phone lines.

 

[Ketchup]

Would like to see more about this technology and how it differs from traditional DSL in terms of how they cram all that data onto the same phone lines.

If the packets are moving faster from point A to point B, I don't see any reason to think the amount of data on the line at any given moment would change, all else being equal.

 

[NoTine42]

Bah
The Wikipedia on G.Fast only says a paltry 500m distance max
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.fast

It seems to need fiber to the neighborhood/street, it just reduces the need of fiber to the home.

It may help some, but I don't see it impacting rural Internet

 

[NoTine42]

Would like to see more about this technology and how it differs from traditional DSL in terms of how they cram all that data onto the same phone lines.

The Wikipedia entry mentions it uses, in part, the FM radio frequency on the copper wire.

 

[slag]

The Wikipedia entry mentions it uses, in part, the FM radio frequency on the copper wire.

Yeah, I read it. The distances are so close to get any decent speed that its really only applicable for a few blocks at best it seems or very small neighborhoods, but the speed drops off quickly in small distances.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Can't ethernet do 500m? I think it's specced for much less but I imagine you'd still get half decent speeds. I don't see how this is revolutionary. Actually doing a bit of reading it seems some earlier forms of ethernet over coax could do 2500m! Revolutionary would be if it could do 10km+ so it could actually serve more than customers a block away from the CO. Seems ADSL2 is still the winner for copper broadband. Or cable I guess.

 

[blankslate]

if this pans out and can break the backs of cable monopolies....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbL1bD2lRkQ&t=0m16s

I hope the technique is cheap enough that independent ISPs can provide fast internet connections over phone lines so they proliferate like they did in the early to mid 90s


__________________

 

[zCypher]

Can't ethernet do 500m? I think it's specced for much less but I imagine you'd still get half decent speeds. I don't see how this is revolutionary. Actually doing a bit of reading it seems some earlier forms of ethernet over coax could do 2500m! Revolutionary would be if it could do 10km+ so it could actually serve more than customers a block away from the CO. Seems ADSL2 is still the winner for copper broadband. Or cable I guess.

No, it's not. ADSL2 is only good for up to around 24mbps. It has advantages over VDSL2 (better rates/performance on *longer* loops), but otherwise for copper speeds over 24mbps those are only done via VDSL2 or VDSL2 + loop bonding. In Canada, 100mbps is already being provided via loop bonded VDSL2. Obviously that doesn't apply to long loops though. Personally, I prefer cable, it's what I have at home. But from a technology / work perspective, I find DSL fun and interesting.

G.fast isn't something that will turn the industry upside down overnight, or at all. But considering the existing infrastructure for VDSL2 (which are mostly of the "fibre to the node" variety), it makes sense to push the footprint and available speeds for eligible customers using G.fast. Why not?

It's something that will give some people more/better options. Obviously if your inside wiring sucks, that will still hold you back, G.fast isn't going to change that.

 

[BurnItDwn]

If somebody who isnt comcast offers g fast service here I will seriously consider it. Been on Uverse since I got fed up with comcast. Not happy with uverse since they wont offer anything higher than like 25mbit, would like 100mbit or more just for the sake of downloading games on steam.

 

[MustISO]

Would be great if Comcast could use this technology to at least match their upload and download speeds.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

If somebody who isnt comcast offers g fast service here I will seriously consider it. Been on Uverse since I got fed up with comcast. Not happy with uverse since they wont offer anything higher than like 25mbit, would like 100mbit or more just for the sake of downloading games on steam.

From a 50mb Fios user with two people in the house. I honestly can't notice a difference between 25 & 50 service.
Steam games still cap out around 8-12mb regardless of my speed.

 

[ultimatebob]

Great... Now At&t users can hit their 300 GB data cap in day instead of a week, and probably pay $90 a month for the privilege.

 

[mnewsham]

Steam games still cap out around 8-12mb regardless of my speed

Weird, 150mbps FiOS user and I get full speeds from steam (and other sources as well).

Hell, i've even gotten 155-160mbps from steam servers.