Broadband Category:
The stranglehold on the last mile is nothing new to any of us. There are a handful of companies that control the communications networks that connect our homes to the rest of the world and they, at their discretion, let us know when we need more bandwidth, better services, etc. Wait a minute… Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Since when is the customer on the outside looking in? But I digress…
What would happen if we figured out some way for every home in America to be a node facilitating the construction of a larger network owned solely and individually by the homeowner? As the network begins to grow, each node comes in contact with an adjacent node and another adjacent node and another adjacent node, until each home has formed an entirely new network in true mesh topology. Think of the possibilities such an infrastructure could create. If we’re all eventually connected, can’t we then just go around the monopolies and connect to each other without their oversight? What would be their purpose if such a network existed? There’s obviously some mixture of wired and wireless technology that would need to be involved in a project like this but it’s not out of the realm of the possibility. We’d also have to involve local and state governments but they work for us remember! We could effectively redefine what it means to be truly connected.
What we have pondered over the past few years is a way to make this type of scenario possible. A combination of wireless fiber products, mesh wireless products, other mesh wireless products, WiMax and some creative thinking should overcome current network obstacles. How about creating a company that’s sole purpose is to manage said network and that’s it? They wouldn’t provide any type of service on the network itself; they’d just provide the infrastructure. What if it was some type of consortium (maybe like UTOPIA) whose sole purpose would be to oversee operations and was specifically governed by network neutrality and forbidden from ever offering their own services over the network? We think that this type of setup would open entirely new business models for services we can’t even imagine and allow everyone, regardless of income level, to have access to everyone else, all the time.
I could go on all night about this particular topic and am happy to share the close to two years of research and ideas we have on the subject if you’d like. Just say the word.
It’s our business to give our customers advice on technology and its applications in the connected home. We want to make choosing technology the easiest decision you’ll ever make because you deserve it that way.
What’s on the horizon for tomorrow? It’s obvious that the Internet is providing bigger, badder, more efficient methods of distributing content and managing applications by the day. All of these content streams and new applications that we can’t live without come at a price however and that price is heavily rooted in bandwidth and infrastructure. I was half way though the writing of this post when I decided to take a break to catch up on some feeds and I’m glad that I did because I’m now armed with even better ammunition.
Mark Cuban, billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks and co-founder of HDNet is a forward thinker. I’ve been a loyal reader of his Blog Maverick blog for a little over a year now and I’m consistently amazed at the ideas he turns out. Why should I be? Good question… He’s a billionaire for crying out loud and he didn’t become one by accident. Mr. Cuban’s latest post, Bandwidth to the home, how much is enough, is chock full of the brilliance I have come to expect from him. He’s dead on with his assessment of coming products and services driving the need for bigger and better pipes. America’s bandwidth problem is getting worse before it’s getting better and there are new startups opening up shop every day with yet undreamed of products and services that will utilize the Internet as their primary distribution method. How do you as a homeowner ensure that you are able to take advantage of these products and services? That’s simple, plan ahead.
The number one question we’re asked on a daily basis: How much structured wiring (Category 5e/6, RG-6, etc.) should I install in my house and why? That too has a simple answer. As much as you think you’ll ever need! Wire is cheap compared to the cost of retrofitting your home down the road. We always tell our customers that there is no such thing as too much wiring as demonstrated by the needs discussed by Mr. Cuban. We can’t possibly tell you the ways in which you’ll utilize your home network in the future but at the same time want to ensure that you’re able to keep up with technology as it becomes more and more integrated into your daily life.
The next questions we’re asked are along the lines of: Won’t Category 5e/6 be outdated in 5-10 years? Possibly. Should I install fiber? Maybe. How can I guarantee that the investment I’ve made in my home’s infrastructure is safe for the long term? Flexible solutions like Carlon Resi-Gard! Won’t there be wireless technologies in the future that will make all of this wiring obsolete? Let’s not go there yet as that’s a topic for another day. One word: interference. It haunts my dreams…
The obvious truth is that it’s impossible to plan for everything that might come about in the future. It’s fairly easy to be ready for tomorrow but it’s often times overlooked and underappreciated when all of the tough decisions are being made about your home’s budget. I promise you that including a structured wiring infrastructure in your home could potentially be the easiest decision that you make. We guarantee it will provide you hours upon hours of joy now and into the future!
Check out some of the links in the Connected Home section to the right of the page for additional information regarding the benefits and technologies driving the industry. Also, stay tuned for more in-depth information on the subject straight from us in the coming weeks. Happy hunting!
