Re:Pentagon official: FCC decision on 5G threatens GPS, nati...
by ac29 on Friday May 08, 2020 @12:44AM
(#23111467)
> but I can imagine a world where much more money is invested in improving mobile networks than home cable connections, causing the latter to stagnate.
This seems like a misunderstanding of the technologies. Mobile networks modulate RF and emit it via antennas, cable networks modulate RF and carry it via RF cables (aka coaxial cable, or "cable"). Its the same technology from a fundamental standpoint, but the latter has superior propagation characteristics and dramatically reduced noise. Wireless can't be better than wired - if it was, you'd just connect the LTE or whatever transceivers to the cable plant and be done with it.
Re:Pentagon official: FCC decision on 5G threatens GPS, nati...
by state_less on Thursday May 07, 2020 @03:10PM
(#23106961)
I agree the internet is increasingly carried over radio these days (e.g. WiFi, LTE, Satellite). Wireless still seems pretty young and crude yet. There seems to be plenty of room to grow with respect to negotiating power levels, frequency use, routing topologies and so on.
I think big fiber backhauls are still going to be a thing though.
Re:Pentagon official: FCC decision on 5G threatens GPS, nati...
by leetcrew on Thursday May 07, 2020 @03:18PM
(#23107050)
> I think big fiber backhauls are still going to be a thing though.
absolutely, I'm just talking about wired vs. wireless as available to the typical consumer. the fiber would be the backhaul for an entire city block or neighborhood. just speculation.
Re:Pentagon official: FCC decision on 5G threatens GPS, nati...
by brendanmcd on Thursday May 07, 2020 @05:35PM
(#23108650)
agreed, the lower fixed costs of ripping up roads and driveways to install is key for understanding the benefits of 5G
> It never will be though. Whatever frequencies you can do wirelessly you can do over a wire without the interference of other users using the same frequency at the same time.
this is true in principle, but not necessarily in practice. I suspect it will hold for the near/medium future, but I can imagine a world where much more money is invested in improving mobile networks than home cable connections, causing the latter to stagnate.
most "normal" people I know don't even own a desktop computer. there are no devices in their homes that connect via ethernet (or even have an ethernet port without a dongle!). at a certain point, it might make sense to ditch the home modem/router altogether and scale up wifi networks to the point where they basically merge with cellular.