Things aren't going much better for the ILECs' DSL competitors. Neither DSL nor the cable modem is the best solution for residential broadband connections, say industry pundits. DSL is still not, and might never be, available to many homes because of its distance-related limitations. And shared-bandwidth cable modem networks are prone to slowdowns and even shutdowns during times of peak usage. In addition, both DSL and cable networks are better equipped for downloads than uploads, an inequity that, as more average people become content providers and self-styled film producers of a sort, is expected someday soon to prove unacceptable.
Fiber optics is.
And in the past six years, optical switching and fiber deployment costs have dropped to unforeseen levels. Fiber has spread out from the Internet backbone, toward metropolitan business districts and, finally, residential areas. Reali says the expense of bringing fiber all the way to the home is still too expensive and logistically difficult for mass deployment, citing factors such as translation between analog and digital devices and signals. FTTC makes more sense for the cable industry, as an entire neighborhood can benefit from the upgrade without homes being entered. Disincentives For ILECs Reali says ILECs, already deep into marketing and deploying DSL, are unlikely to suddenly start deploying fiber on top of their existing copper plant.