ZeuBlog

Detail on Broadband Stimulus Applicants

By Kevin Walsh

It’s taken a bit of time to wade through the 2,187 applications requesting $27,660,725,621 from US taxpayers in order to build out broadband infrastructure to better meet the needs of “unserved” and “underserved” residential consumers. I’ll leave it to people with more time on their hands to fully plumb the depths of this list but a few things jump out immediately.

Although it’s difficult to say with precision, it appears that businesses that build and operate broadband networks—namely telephone and cable companies—actually represent a minority of applicants. Telcos represent less than 10 percent of applicants. Assuming that cablecos represent a like amount this means that businesses that operate 100 percent of the US broadband footprint represent less than one-fifth of the applicants.

The other four-fifths is comprised of a grab bag of state and city governments, lobby groups, non-profits, educational institutions, etc. Here are some of the more interesting ones:
 

Broadband Speeds

By Kevin Walsh

Evaluating broadband ‘speed’ is an extremely slippery subject. There are a few reasons this is the case:

1. We don’t even measure broadband in terms of speed (e.g., kilometers-per-hour), we measure it in terms of capacity (bits-per-second).
2. The capacity that is advertised is a peak; it is not an average, a minimum or a guarantee.
3. The aggregation networks operated by broadband service providers often have far greater impact on capacity than does last-mile technology (copper or fiber).

How else to explain that, according to Akamai, Japan, with nearly ubiquitous 100Mbps fiber to the home, has an average downstream capacity of 7.99Mbps?

Finally, consumers don’t really care about speed or capacity; they care about delay (the latency between clicking a link and seeing the results). And while delay is sometimes a function of capacity, that is not always the case. Increasingly, the ability of the broadband operator to guarantee service quality is a bigger factor. With more and more streaming video moving over broadband facilities, consumers are becoming more attuned to the quality of the broadband connection.

Zeugma to Discuss Strategies for Broadband Service Providers

Representatives from Zeugma Systems are confirmed to present at multiple upcoming events on topics that are specifically designed to address recent issues and concerns BSPs have brought to Zeugma’s attention. While the majority of the presentations focus on the increasing prevalence of streaming internet video and corresponding monetization strategies for broadband service providers, the sessions will also deliver unique insights into consumer preferences and technology alternatives.

1. Oregon Telecom Assoc. CO and IT Show: Newport, OR, Sept. 24, 2009, 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Kevin Walsh, Vice President of Marketing, will present on “Increasing ARPU by Adding Advanced Subscriber Services”
2. PTA/NYSTA Expo: Syracuse, NY, Oct. 7th, 2009, 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. & 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Trevor Dyck, Director of Product Management, will present on “Capitalizing on Internet Video”
3. North Carolina Telecom Industry Assoc.: Charleston, NC, Oct. 14, 2009, time TBA.
Kevin Walsh, Vice President of Marketing will present on “Increasing ARPU by Adding Advanced Subscriber Services”
4. SUPERCOMM: Chicago, Oct. 20, 2009, 10:40 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Kevin Walsh, Vice President of Marketing will present on “Delivering on the Quality Promise: HD Internet Video over Broadband”
5. Alaska Telecom Assoc. Showcase: Anchorage, AL, Oct. 28, 2009, time TBA.
Kevin Walsh, Vice President of Marketing, will present on “Seizing the On-Demand Video Opportunity: Delivering High Quality at Low Cost”
6. Tennessee Telecom Assoc.: Bowling Green, KY, Oct. 27. 2009, time TBA.
Tom Meehan, Vice President of Product Development, will present on “Delivering on the Quality Promise: HD Internet Video over Broadband”.