dont2

>>>>"Pardon a basic question from a lurker. In terms of bandwidth and fibre optic equipment demand, does it make any difference whether the home "killer app" video on demand is displayed on a TV or PC screen? Doesn't the signal still have to get there by fibre with large bandwidth?"<<<<<<

I think you are 100% correct. The only reason for the statement about TV screens is that, other than computer games, most of the conjectured "killer apps" that I hear about seem more likely to be enjoyed on a TV screen than on a PC.

Interestingly, I just read an article titled "More and More Bandwidth Demanded" which discussed the ambitious marketing for DSL and cablemodedm hooking up to the Internet by residential customers, and phone and cable companies expectations for serious growth in this market. It seems to me that one would get the wrong impression from such an article that as these many new customers sign-up we will soon run out of bandwidth, and thus need Next Gen upgrades to the fibersphere.

However, it seems to me that unless the type of applications being used by all these potential consumers devour huge amounts of bandwidth ("killer apps"), the present infrastucture may continue to be adequate for the forseeable future. At least this is the thinking we are trying to explore in this thread: ie.. when the Next Gen optics gear buildout will become essential.