I think you need to consider two things. Current speeds are dependent on line length so that many users may not get a very good speed on the current network. You also need o look to the future whilst the current network may be adequate at presnet for many will that be the case say in 5 years?

Another possible reason could be you could dismantal the current transmitting network and deliver TV by the local loop. It would probably be more cost effective to do it this way. It woould also free up valuable RF spectrum for other purposes

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

Another possible reason could be you could dismantal the current transmitting network and deliver TV by the local loop. It would probably be more cost effective to do it this way. It woould also free up valuable RF spectrum for other purposes

Like mobile broadband so no-one needs a landline connection anyway?

So we install FTTP to everywhere, deliver TV over it and release the spectrum, then with the coming advances in mobile telephony and broadband anyway plus the extra spectrum everyone starts using that instead, then we can ditch the FTTP and close down BT Openreach and BT Wholesale.

Simples.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

Another possible reason could be you could dismantal the current transmitting network and deliver TV by the local loop. It would probably be more cost effective to do it this way. It woould also free up valuable RF spectrum for other purposes

Like mobile broadband so no-one needs a landline connection anyway?

So we install FTTP to everywhere, deliver TV over it and release the spectrum, then with the coming advances in mobile telephony and broadband anyway plus the extra spectrum everyone starts using that instead, then we can ditch the FTTP and close down BT Openreach and BT Wholesale.

Simples.

Mobile Broadband will be a nich market product and would not displace landlines.

Delivering Broadband by Mobile Wireless will always be problomatice and can never in the foreeable futre deliver the same speeds and services & reliability of a fixed line for a start the bandwith is just not there unless you have very small wirelss cells which would push up costs dramatically

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

I think you need to consider two things. Current speeds are dependent on line length so that many users may not get a very good speed on the current network. You also need o look to the future whilst the current network may be adequate at presnet for many will that be the case say in 5 years?

But then we're back to the idea of spending £30b in the hope that we'll find a use for the product eventually. I don't see corporate or even government accountants going for that. That's my point.

Another possible reason could be you could dismantal the current transmitting network and deliver TV by the local loop. It would probably be more cost effective to do it this way. It woould also free up valuable RF spectrum for other purposes

What about satellite broadcasting? That's by far the most efficient way to broadcast TV and radio. No way is IPTV ever going to match that. Just one relatively low power transmitter can cover the entire country. An entire continent.

Edited by Andrue (Sun 06-Feb-11 10:12:31)

Did you miss the wink in the header?

But it isn't entirely fanciful that landlines are doomed. It's only 30 years or so since mobile phones didn't exist. (I was talking to some teenagers the other day who weren't even aware that mobile phones haven't always been around. No doubt you are older than that, but may still be young enough not to realise the vast changes in that period).

I think your pessimism could be misplaced regarding the developments possible in the next 15, particularly LTE and LTE Advanced, and no doubt the technology that will supplant even those is not far away.

the consultant can work from home

or on the golf course using 3G perhaps ?

and deliver TV by the local loop

you just invented Cable TV.

If viewing x-rays I would hope not, contrast of any monitor should be calibrated and periodically checked, without the correct setup it is far to easy to miss important things.

Telemedicine is more about things like diabetic monitoring devices that upload to a database, so that at consultants a doctor can see the pattern and make better decisions on which drugs work best.

The gas/electric networks look set to build their own monitoring network at lowish bit rates, no idea of the cost, but one does wonder whether that money might have helped part fund fibre in some places.

If electric cars get any traction, then having a good internet connection at each charge point would
a) Allow for good information feedback on usage i.e. tell people where a charge point is available
b) Allow people to have internet access while doing charges (hopefully high current short burst will be available one day)

Gas Electric & Water are looking at it seriously. It may seem expensive but the pay back is enourmous. If you take water using monitoring any problems such as contamination & leaks can be dealt with quickly & isolated to a small part of the network

I think it is pretty fancifull as you would need a massive amount of spectrum which is simply not available

The only real use of wirless for Broadband has been with Wireless Mesh networks where you are pretty much using point to point wireless rather then the mobile omnidirectional cells which can cover several miles