[opendtv] Re: FCC issues net neutrality rules in face of Congress and carriers
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:35:02 -0500
Tom Barry wrote:
> Does upstream bandwidth cost any more to provide than
> downstream bandwidth?
Definitely. Within a single ISP's network, there are many more potential
upstream sources than downstream sources. So if you allow, say 100 Mb/s
upstream from everyone, and you expect this to occur without a huge congestion
problem, it is a much bigger problem than just promising 100 Mb/s downstream.
Don't forget that these networks, whether they are cable or fiber optic, are
all passive networks as you get close to individual households. It's not like
every house is passed with an individual router connecting that house to a
fully connected mesh. You have a single line, be it coax or fiber optic, that
gets progressively split off in the fan-out to x number of households. They
need to keep active electronics away from neighborhoods, as much as possible.
Even the downstream bandwidth is not guaranteed 100 percent of the time.
> One possibility that comes to mind is that the ISP's
> are also data providers and are discriminating against
> possible competition.
Yes, exactly. When those who don't appreciate the cost of providing symmetric
service assume there is no cost involved, their conclusion is just what you
proposed. That's why it becomes a net neutrality issue, and that's why the ISPs
are so POed.
I'm not saying that the ISPs do not ALSO want to be gate keepers, mind you. I'm
just suggesting that's not the only issue here.
Bert
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