One smart US guy wrote in the alias (around 2007) that wireless is about 7x more expensive per bit than wired, and there are no reasons to believe that it will ever change. The economy would prevail sooner or later. Ed/ -----Original Message----- From: NANOG <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Sean Donelan Sent: Tuesday, December 3, 2024 19:53 To: [email protected] Subject: New home builders without wires
As some may remember from earlier this year, my friend was buying a new "semi-custom" home. "Semi-custom" is a marketing term, meaning you get to choose (pay more) pre-determined builder options. It is not custom designed. The home builder was not installing any wired broadband utilities in the new neighborhood. No cable coax, no telephone DSL, no fiber optic. The only option was wireless, with a special deal with a specific 5G wireless cellular provider. Originally, the builder's sales agent (i.e. the people working in the model home selling houses) said new homes didn't need (and would not have) a wired "demarc" location and no ethernet or coax outlets. Not my house, but I was surprised when I heard that. I like wired connections when possible for any fixed devices, and WiFi only for mobile devices. I visited his new house over the Thanksgiving Holiday. The sales agent was partially wrong and partially correct. Never believe the sales agent spiel. The built house came with exactly FOUR wired ethernet outlets in the living room and each bedroom/office (x2 Cat6 jacks each outlet). But no wired DEMARC, no coax outlets, and no wired broadband utilities in the neighhood. The wired ethernet jacks were needed because the wireless 5G base station ended up in an upstairs bedroom window for signal strength reasons. The in-house wired ethernet was needed for a WiFi extender in the living room. I wouldn't be happy, but it seems to work for his family. The 5G deal was cheaper than what he was paying at his old house. According to the real estate realtor, not the builder's sales agent, broadband is now in the top three things home buyers want to know. Some states require the realtor MLS to disclose broadband access in the home listings. Broadband access disclosure not required in this state.
