Subject: Ricochet/Metricom

From: "James P. Salsman" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 18:51:26 -0800 (PST)

Slashdot has an interesting thread on the 128 kbps wide-area wireless 
internet service offered by Ricochet/Metricom:

  http://slashdot.org/articles/01/02/09/1559221.shtml

Since I last reported on this list, they have apparently reduced their 
round-trip times from 1/2 s to about 1/5 s.

So, that would make even synchronous voice passable.  Why shouldn't 
this kind of service phase out cell-phones in the next few years?

Cheers,
James

---

From: "Michael H. Warfield" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:49:22 -0500

> this kind of service phase out cell-phones in the next few years?

	Ask that question in July.  That should be about a month
after Riocochet is due to run out of cash.

	http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2683889,00.html

	I don't disagree with the technical point, but someone has to
make it commercially viable.

	Actually, Metricom sounds like they are in good shape, even if
Ricochet is is not.

> James

	Mike
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