Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!pacbell.com!lll-winken!telecom-request From: sichermn@beach.csulb.edu (Jeff Sicherman) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Cable TV vs Telco Connectivity Laws Message-ID: Date: 21 Mar 91 19:35:31 GMT Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Organization: Cal State Long Beach Lines: 33 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 225, Message 1 of 12 In article "24460-W. H. Sohl" writes: > My view is that the cable "service" should be provided to a single > point within any home at a standard signal level and then any further > distribution within the home should be left to the homeowner. Fears > of bad inside wiring being detrimental to other cable subscribers can > be alleviated by using some type of unidirectional broadband isolation > device as a standard cable interface (terminating module) for each > home. Maybe you would also like to be charged for only the electrical or water connections to your home without regard to the volumes consumed. Or perhaps a rooming house should pay the same as a single-family home. I know that the issues are not _exactly_ the same since the programs are not consumables but there are acquistion costs that do relate to the level of usage that affect profitability of a particular type of programming versus alternative ones. That's why some shows are pay-per-view, so the average watcher won't end up subsidizing some high-cost showings. I don't mean that cable companies aren't greedy and self-righteous, but let's not ignore the economic realities from their side completely. [Moderator's Note: Here in Chicago, both Commonwealth Edison and People's Gas charge a monthly 'service fee' for the presence of the meter on your premises and the services of the person who comes to read it every month (or two months in the case of gas). This fee has no bearing on the amount energy you consume. The fee is constant. PAT]