new cable company in chicago?

[Bruce Esquibel]

I'm expecting deafing silence for follow ups since it looks like most of the
press releases just came out yesterday but was wondering if anyone had more
info than what little is on the website for these guys:

https://layer3tv.com

I stuck in my zip code for casa del ripco and got a congrats message that
the service is available "in my area", but that could just mean Chicago in
general and they are only working in the hotsy-totsy areas.

Although the price they shot me (I think it was $120) is a bit lower than
comcrap, especially with the box having the dvr and other services built in,
I really don't see any mention of if that rate includes internet service or
not, or even if it's available through them.

From the earlier press releases and the test market in Texas, they seem to
be running their own fiber network and it doesn't rely on piggybacking on
top of you already having internet service.

What is bothersome is again just from the press releases, they only raised
$100 million, which seems a bit light to go against comcrap in the Chicago
market. I mean that's $100 million more than what I have for cash on hand
but that isn't going to go far running fiber around the city with all the
payoffs needed.

So I'm guessing this is just going to be for the multi-dwelling units in
river north and areas downtown where one fiber cable attached to one
building can make 1000's plus a month? Or are they actually going to take a
shot at the residential hoods?

If anyone hears anything, post it.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

p.s. I'm sure it's just by chance (cough) but shortly after the layer3 press
release Comcrap announced their $140 a month 1GB internet service is
available in the Chicago market. Just don't sit there, download something.

[Max]

The search thingy says it's available here in Iowa.

[Cydrome Leader]

Bruce Esquibel <b...@ripco.com> wrote:
>
> I'm expecting deafing silence for follow ups since it looks like most of the
> press releases just came out yesterday but was wondering if anyone had more
> info than what little is on the website for these guys:
>
> https://layer3tv.com

I can't figure out who the hell they are either. Even Cricket had more
backstory to work with when they came to Chicago.

[Bruce Esquibel]

Cydrome Leader <pres...@mungepanix.com> wrote:

> I can't figure out who the hell they are either. Even Cricket had more
> backstory to work with when they came to Chicago.

Yeah it looks like one of those projects from Silicon Valley where they talk
tough about taking on Comcast but in reality, will sell out as soon as the
first offer doubling their investment comes in, then it goes into obscurity.

The box they came up with seems to be the angle. It's an all-in-one that has
everything in it, the cable modem, wifi, HD to 4K, a DVR, apps for Netflix
and other video/audio services.

If that's included in the monthly rate, then it is a better deal than
anything Comcast came up with so far. Even if Comcast sells something for
$99 a month (tv+internet), by the time you add a HD-DVR, second HD box,
second outlet then the rent on the cable modem, it easily reaches $150 a
month, then add in the taxes, franchise fees.

The $120 a month from layer3 would be more attractive, but not earth
shattering savings.

But I still don't see how they are going to pull off fiber to the home.

Even that AT&T "gigabit fiber" available in Chicago, isn't. So far they
dinged a few suburbs like Downers Grove but I haven't seen any chance of
getting it within the city limits.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[Geoff Gass]

Bruce Esquibel <b...@ripco.com> wrote:
> Even that AT&T "gigabit fiber" available in Chicago, isn't. So far they
> dinged a few suburbs like Downers Grove but I haven't seen any chance of
> getting it within the city limits.

wouldn't it be relatively easy in the places that got "real" uverse? ie fiber
to the box in the alley.

[Bruce Esquibel]

Geoff Gass <g...@tanzenmb.com> wrote:

> wouldn't it be relatively easy in the places that got "real" uverse? ie fiber
> to the box in the alley.

It seems like it would give them a leg up, provided it could be adapted for
that use. Keep in mind that it was fiber to the box, and copper to the house
from there.

Those boxes may not be adaptable for individual fiber taps or would need to
be replaced with ones that are. The other thing is maybe the network wasn't
designed for it. Like if they are feeding an area/hood with a 150GB fiber
branched out feeding 2000-3000 homes, they may only be able to handle a
couple dozen 1GB customers before they run out of steam for everyone else.

Just saying what looked good on paper 10 years ago when the system was
designed may not work too well with future expansion needs. I think the
suburbs they are offering it in were the later ones to get uverse so they
are probably on a newer, more flexible system.

Just a guess though.

Even that other Comcast service available "in certain areas" they call 2GB,
requires like a $1000 installation fee which I suspect is more than just a
replacement of the cable modem. I think they run your own line to the
nearest junction/distribution point so you don't bandwidth starve other
customers feeding off a common shared line.

Another tidbit with Comcast, in the post I made about layer3, I added the
same day they did their press release Comcast announced the 1GB service
available in Chicago for $140 a month.

Turns out, it's only $70 a month.

It's the next phase of those docsis modems, guess the 3.1 versions support
that speed over the current service lines. Top upload speed is only 15mb but
that still isn't bad. I beleive the 2GB is bi-directional though but that's
like $500 a month.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[dye]

In article <np4ov6$g22$1...@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,

Bruce Esquibel <b...@ripco.com> wrote:
>
>I'm expecting deafing silence for follow ups since it looks like most of the
>press releases just came out yesterday but was wondering if anyone had more
>info than what little is on the website for these guys:
>
>https://layer3tv.com
>
>I stuck in my zip code for casa del ripco and got a congrats message that
>the service is available "in my area", but that could just mean Chicago in
>general and they are only working in the hotsy-totsy areas.
>
>Although the price they shot me (I think it was $120) is a bit lower than
>comcrap, especially with the box having the dvr and other services built in,
>I really don't see any mention of if that rate includes internet service or
>not, or even if it's available through them.

I got the same message, but did a follow up with the phone #.

They are cable TV (OK, we need a new internet term for the
entertainment 'content' providers . "Cable" is so RG59-esque!)

I got a $99 quote for 60068. 150 channels.
"400 hour DVR included"

They offer this content via the comcast infrastructure. No data plans,
just video content.

Just so ya know.



--
Ken R. Dye an optimist is a guy |
Chicago, Illinois that has never had |
http://dye.datsun510.com/index1.html much experience |
dye1146 at g mail dot com archy |

[Bruce Esquibel]

dye <d...@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com> wrote:

> They offer this content via the comcast infrastructure. No data plans,
> just video content.

WTF does that mean, they are just reselling Comcast?

It looked to me from the press releases they were going to compete against
them, or try to.

No internet, it's going to be a hard sell.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[Geoff Gass]

Bruce Esquibel <b...@ripco.com> wrote:
> Geoff Gass <g...@tanzenmb.com> wrote:
>
>> wouldn't it be relatively easy in the places that got "real" uverse? ie fiber
>> to the box in the alley.
>
> It seems like it would give them a leg up, provided it could be adapted for
> that use. Keep in mind that it was fiber to the box, and copper to the house
> from there.

gigabit over copper works short distances, they wouldn't necessarily have to do
fiber the last couple hundred feet.

> Those boxes may not be adaptable for individual fiber taps or would need to
> be replaced with ones that are. The other thing is maybe the network wasn't
> designed for it. Like if they are feeding an area/hood with a 150GB fiber
> branched out feeding 2000-3000 homes, they may only be able to handle a
> couple dozen 1GB customers before they run out of steam for everyone else.

probably depends on actual peak use, you know they'll oversell the shit out of
it.