wrote


In this neighborhood, Comcast brings in broadband fiber to the
end of this street, converts the optical digital to analog
digital AND analog-analog, sends that along on two coax cables
on the utility poles for very local distribution.


Classic FTTC (Fiber To The Curb) application using SONET OC3. Very cost
effective service delivery model because one (very expensive)
optical/electrical/optical equipment pedestal serves several dozen customers
with oodles of bandwidth for each.

The cost/revenue model falls down the toilet when you serve a single residence
with an OC3 (or even OC1) pipe. Granted this is waaaaay more bandwidth than any
single residence will ever use, so some telcos have field-trialed PON FTTH
rather than SONET (less electronics investment), but only the equipment vendors
are enthused.

Beep beep
de Hans, K0HB