Monday, August 20, 2007
Are Cable Companies Running Out of Bandwith?
Posted by Chris Gohlke in "CONTENT" @ 06:00 PM
"According to yet another study, this time by ABI Research, "cable providers will soon be faced with a serious bandwidth crunch" as more and more individuals look to online gaming, video-on-demand, and IPTV for enjoying their precious moments of leisure. Compounding the problem is the growing demand for more HD channels in the lineup, and considering that the satellite operators are already raising the bar, cable carriers can only play dumb for so much longer. Stan Schatt, VP and research director for ABI Research, was quoted as saying that "digital switching is key" to releasing some of the strain on current infrastructures, and while we aren't ones to believe that the influx of online TV delivery will debilitate the internet (or cable providers), something seemingly has to give -- and soon."
There are just so many bandwidth intensive applications out there that I imagine they've got to be at the tipping point if they are not there already. I already see a problem on my high-def channels from Comcast to the point that I am getting ready to cut them off. The channels are so blocky that they are unwatchable and I've been told that it is a lack of bandwidth. Of course I guess I am part of the problem when I run my Slingbox for hours at a time over my cable modem.
There are just so many bandwidth intensive applications out there that I imagine they've got to be at the tipping point if they are not there already. I already see a problem on my high-def channels from Comcast to the point that I am getting ready to cut them off. The channels are so blocky that they are unwatchable and I've been told that it is a lack of bandwidth. Of course I guess I am part of the problem when I run my Slingbox for hours at a time over my cable modem.
