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[ NNSquad ] Flexview


I just noticed Verizon FiOS had a message about Flexview

Check out http://www.myverizon.com/AboutFlexview

This is very interesting - it's as if Verizon is making their whole VoD
catalog available for Netflix type viewing.

This is another step in the rapid evolution moving content from being
tethered to the cable to going over IP. In fact Verizon VoD is already over
IP but has been confined to their paths.

Like "radio" meaning a business model, "cable" is becoming a business model
not a physical medium. We have to be aware of this distinctions if we are to
have an informed discussion of the issues.

What happens when the cable is not used in broadcast mode anymore? How do
FCC rules apply when "broadband" is just an IP medium without any content
specific to the cable? What happens to must carry rules?

What happens to the business models of Comcast, Verizon et al when they can
offer content over any IP path and, in fact, do better using others' paths
because they don't bear the cost of the infrastructure nor are they limited
by having to lay fiber or coax? They could institute caps but that set a
precedent that harms them as much, if not more, than their competitors.

I don't know how fast this will play out but I'll stay tuned to watch the
show already in progress.