I found this article on Verizon Wireless thoughts on millennials interesting. Basically they are betting that millennials are going to wireless instead of cable or fiber. This would defiantly be a plus for SKWS if their predictions are correct.
“Fran Shammo has a message for Verizon customers and investors: fiber optic broadband is so… yesterday. Your millennial kids aren’t interested in gigabit speed, unlimited use Internet in the home. They want to watch most of their content on a smartphone and spend more on usage-capped wireless plans.”
I don’t understand the argument that someone would pay as much or more for a slower capped cellular connection rather than a faster uncapped fiber connection. People cut the cable cord because it costs too much and having a smartphone is more important than fast internet at home. But given the choice I don’t think many would turn down a faster home connection only because it’s fiber rather than cellular, especially now that WiFi calling is so common.
But given the choice I don’t think many would turn down a faster home connection only because it’s fiber rather than cellular, especially now that WiFi calling is so common.
IRdoc, I don’t necessarily think wireless connections will be slower than landline connections for much longer.
Google has been laying down fiber cables for four years, but parent-company Alphabet is already thinking about a future where you don’t have to dig “up your garden” to get high-speed internet access. In another moonshot project, Alphabet wants to wirelessly beam it into your home.
Why? It’s cheaper, and apparently the technology today makes it viable, according to Alphabet’s Chairman Eric Schmidt at the annual shareholder meeting. Thanks to improved computer chips and accurate “targeting of wireless signals,” Alphabet executives believe they can transmit internet connections at a gigabit per second — the same speed Google Fiber promises with its fiber-optic network, according to the Wall Street Journal. It would likely require a special device in the home to receive these wireless signals.
And even though the article describes this project as one of Google’s infamous “moonshots”, this might be a reality as early as next year. Google hopes to make Kansas City a showcase for this technology and want it up and running by 2017.
My recollection is that SWKS management has commented that they are agnostic whether Intel or Qualcom is used. I don’t remember whether I heard it in a presentation or Q & A at an earnings call.