US RBOCs target home networking

The move could make sense as today carriers are perceived as dumb pipe providers. It could be vital for them to take the initiative on new broadband services and devices. The game is certainly not easy, but could be worth to play. Managing a residential gateway and devices behind could allow carriers to hold on to customers for a long time and control everything communicating in home (voice, data, internet, video, TV,..). It is what ATT, Verizon and Qwest are thinking about, and have already products to build home networking. ATT is using TR-069 management protocol to manage consumer home networks for Lightspeed customers. Verizon has a broadband home router (BHR) as the centerpiece of its home networking strategy. The BHR can interconnect Verizon' s FTTH access point to a home LAN.

But such a strategy could be risky. Will customers follow and be full time under the control of a single entity? Will be ways to switch to another provider and will it be costly? Carriers could have the temptation to deliver “special” gateways, routers or devices to provide specific services. Will competition be reinforced or restrained? The subject seems to me very important and merits thinking about.