Re: Why is Yahoo BB able to offer 8Mbps?

[Shimpei Yamashita <shimpei@example.com>]

On Wed, Jun 27, 2001 at 10:48:59PM +0900, Yamagata Hiroo wrote:
> Most Japanese ADSL uses the "wimpy" compromized ADSL in order to
> avoid crosstalk with the ISDN lines. YahooBB plans to use the full
> no-compromize ADSL. There seems to be ways to minimise interference
> with ISDN, but how well Yahoo provides it is anyone's guess.

According to this week's issue of Toyo Keizai, the other big technical
difference is in the backbone--Yahoo uses gigabit ethernet over dark (i.e.,
dedicated) fiber for links between NTT facilities, whereas e-Access, et al.,
use ATM provided by NTT, which is both more expensive and much slower (several
megabits per second).

The biggest question mark in this project, IMHO, is Softbank, which has not
always done so well in running their own venture project. Can they be
financially trusted with this project any more than, say, Tokyo Metallic?
Or, for that matter, all those ADSL vendors crapping out in the US? 
I remember a newspaper article saying they need about a million subscribers to
break even. Can they get that many users in Japan? News at 11....

-- 
Shimpei Yamashita                               http://www.shimpei.org/