A discussion about the Telecommunication Industry

Internet access via fiber optic to the premises (FTTP) has been cutting into cable company’s subscriber base at a frantic pace over the past year or so.  Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-Verse have signed up over a million customers already.  Cable companies are fighting back with new, faster Internet service.  Comcast has started offering 50Mbps Internet service in parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota.   The technology, DOCSIS 3.0, will be available to 20% of Comcast’s customers by the end of this year, half of Comcast’s customers by the end of 2009, and will be available in Comcast’s entire foot print by the middle of 2010.  The faster speeds will be expensive, costing $150 per month.  100Mbps speeds may be possible in the future if there is enough demand for it.