Digital
As-Salamu Alaykum
Premium
join:2000-07-24
Mentor, OH
| It's needed.
I'd say it's needed. How else would I get all of those nice songs from Itunes? It's no fun on dialup. 
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Read my blog. |
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Fluker
join:2005-04-07
West Lafayette, IN
| Yeah but I like it
To me it would seem that 128k is a necessity. The internet is a great resource and can be very empowering for a growing mind in need of information
Anything beyond that is a luxury. Multimedia is fun but by no means necessary. Maybe schools and libraries "need" broadband simply to serve up decent page load times to a larger number of people. But aside from that, staying connected doesn't mean requiring a big pipe. Just as transportation doesn't mean owning a Lexus. |
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Pictor Guy
join:2004-06-21
Sammamish, WA | or public service?
Why do people keep comparing it to a utility? Wouldn't comparing it to a paved road be more reasonable? Broadband has the same impact on development and housing prices as a paved road. And neither are `necessary', luxuries or utilities. |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
| It's a necessary luxury
It's both. It's necessary in the sense that if you are going to compete with the competition, provide services that your customers demand, and communicate quickly with your supply chain, you gotta have it.
It's a luxury in the sense though that your business isn't going to shut down tomorrow if you aren't wired.
In my opinion, internet access is like cable tv. You can survive without it, you can get an advantage if you have it, and most people have it to the point where it seems like a necessity like running water, a telephone, or electricity.
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"What gives them the right to come in and do this?" she said. - Lady complaining that she was getting FIOS in her backyard. |
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gatorkram
Spelling and Grammer impared
Premium
join:2002-07-22
Winterville, NC
clubs: | rerun
Didn't we just cover this topic awhile back?
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Give me bandwidth or give me death! |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
|  Neither Luxury nor Necessity
Broadband internet access in your home is not a necessity. But maybe in the school and the local library, it is. But those institutions can get broadband speeds almost anywhere in the US at a reasonable price, even if it is only a T1 or T3 from the telco.
But broadband for the home is definitely in the luxury category. It is available almost to everyone(satellite), but not always at a price they want to pay. In my mind, that is the very definition of a luxury.
If someone in government decides that broadband is a necessity , then that means it just becomes another thing that the welfare drones will demand be added to their monthly support checks. And they already have enough covered by those monthly checks and food stamps and child health care, etc.
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Join Red Room Forum
My Web Page |
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johnny_t
Premium
join:2004-03-21
Palo Alto, CA | reply to cdru
Re: It's a necessary luxury
Its necessary, its ashame that we are even debating this when other countries have it without a question. |
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N3OGH
Bear patrol must be working like a charm
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| It's like deja vu all over again
Didn't I see a very similar story on BBR a few months ago?
Let's see, sooner or later this will slouch towards another USA VS the world argument, or a ICANN VS the UN debate, or GASP, the dreaded Bush VS humanity debate.
Or at least I hope it won't.
I think it's a dual edged sword. All of us come to this site because we like the idea of a big fat pipe delivering everything from e-mail to HDTD into our homes. Therefore, I think some of us have an instilled bias towards calling broadband a utility. I'm sure most of us would be more than peeved to go without high speed internet for more than a few days at home.
As far as folks in rural communities, I don't think it's a matter of "deserving" anything. I mean, how does one determine who "deserves" such services. Sure, I would like to see everyone who wants broadband to have it, but every decision has positives and negatives. Living in a "rural" area, imho, is far more desirable than living in a urban or suburban area. I like the idea of wide open space, or a home surrounded by wooded lands, or farm land. This was my home up until about 12 years ago, when the builders went crazy and planted a bunch of infernal houses in my country wonderland. Now I'm stuck living in a town full of yuppie snobs driving their BMW SUV's like they own the whole damn road.
Of course, up until all those houses came, we couldn't even get cable TV.
Given the choice, I would rather see all these houses go away, the woods and the farms to come back, and you can take the high speed internet. I'll get DirecTV and go to the library when I need to get on line.
Just my 2 cents... |
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bokamba
Chengdu Rocks
Premium
join:2002-04-05
Falls Church, VA | reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Neither Luxury nor Necessity
Amen. Do people think they "deserve" electrical power, just because they have a house? Probably they do think that. But they don't deserve it for any reason. |
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GhostDoggy
join:2005-05-11
Duluth, GA
| It was a luxury, but ...
As the informational age moves forward the cost of technology comes down. The days of spending >$400 for a computer to do most things that could benefit the household can greatly benefit from have a robust connection.
With that said, I do NOT think broadband (or any Internet access) is a utility, nor as a result of such a classification be the burden of the society to insure everyone has it. If broadband (or any Internet access) is a utility in classification with the burden that everyone should have it, then one forces said society to pay for all the accommodating consequences that result therein.
Next I'll be asked to pay for someone's Internet, their PC, and their music downloads because they are too busy paying only a fraction of their kids education and all of the Budweiser beer. |
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cybercrimes
join:2003-12-24
Phoenixville, PA | In todays life YES
If you could use the internet to turn on the lights and start cook, dinner,food ordering,pay,bills since the price of stamps going up (soon they will put a tax on are inetnet access for the USPS) is necessary to have broadband |
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shimonmor
join:2000-12-30
Sedro Woolley, WA
·wavebroadband
| Luxurious Broadband
If it's a utility I should inform most of my friends and neighbors because how are they surviving without this much needed utility? How do they get by in life?
Granted you can argue that no one "needs" electricity or telephone service or garbage pickup. They are all luxuries. I'm sure there are numerous places on this earth where people are living just fine without running water and television.
But, we need to draw a line somewhere and I think that in today's day and age, broadband is NOT a utility (yet).
There are many viable alternatives...most notably, dialup, and more expensively, satellite. And furthermore, there are A LOT of people who still don't have or use computers (and they all have electricity and telephones and running water). I classify broadband along with television. It's a luxury.
Sure you can claim that some businesses NEED broadband to survive or some person works at home and NEEDS broadband. Just as someone in the entertainment industry may need TV. That doesn't make it a utility. I need certain tools to accomplish my job but those tools aren't classified as utilities.
If you need broadband...you can get. But there is no "universal" need for broadband.
When I lose electricity, I have no lights, I have no refrigeration (so food goes bad), I have NO water (I'm on a water pump) so I can't flush the toilet or take a shower or wash my hands or drink (unless I have water saved up), and I have no heat. In essence I'm living in the 1800's without the benefit of knowing how to get by easily in the 1800's. (Thankfully, I have a back-up generator since we can loose power for days).
When I loose broadband, I say "darn" and then pick up a book or go work on a project in the garage or (last resort) have a conversation with the wife.
Lots of people demand lots of rights these days but broadband ain't one of them! |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
·Comcast
| Depends on the person you ask.
Luxury, due to not needed to run your life. Electricity, Water, shelter are necessary. Food is necessary. Broadband is not, due to it is neither a Utility or necessity to get through your life.
Does it belong anywhere in Maslow's hierarchy of needs?
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_h···of_needs
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One man's customer loyalty is another man's misguided arrogance. |
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sbrook
Premium,Mod
join:2001-12-14
H0H 0H0
·Rogers Hi-Speed
Host:
Rogers
Bell Canada
| Becoming a Necessary Utility
Internet is definitely becoming a utility on par with telephone for residential use.
When your power and gas utilites tell you to change your account on their web page and have reduced the number of people handling telephone requests ...
When the phone company is doing the same thing and telling you to get "411" / "192" service from their internet site ...
When your governments are telling you that full information is available on their web site and that they can't service you by telephone except for a limited few hours every day...
When TV stations and newspapers are telling you to go to their web site for the full story ...
These things are telling us that internet is on a par or even more essential than a telephone.
Now, the fact that the web designers for these sites are making them SO content rich that surfing them on dialup is as bad as being put on hold ("Your call will be answered in the order in which it was received") then broadband with speeds of at least 4 to 5 times that of dialup is quickly following suit. |
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shimonmor
join:2000-12-30
Sedro Woolley, WA
·wavebroadband
| reply to cybercrimes
Re: In todays life YES
said by cybercrimes  :If you could use the internet to turn on the lights and start cook, dinner,food ordering,pay,bills since the price of stamps going up (soon they will put a tax on are inetnet access for the USPS) is necessary to have broadband Those are things you can accomplish by more conventional means. It's not like you need broadband to cook or turn on your lights. And if you need a computer to turn on your lights then I say to you: "get off your lazy arse and flick the light switch!!" Geez. |
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StudioTech
S2409W plus SA4250HD
join:2001-10-10
Edison, NJ | reply to bokamba
Re: Neither Luxury nor Necessity
Kind of a stretch to compare broadband to electricity, don't you think? |
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imanogre
join:2005-11-29
Mcdonough, GA
| reply to TKJunkMail
said by TKJunkMail :Broadband internet access in your home is not a necessity. But maybe in the school and the local library, it is. But those institutions can get broadband speeds almost anywhere in the US at a reasonable price, even if it is only a T1 or T3 from the telco. If it's a necessity in schools, how do home schools fit in? |
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shimonmor
join:2000-12-30
Sedro Woolley, WA
·wavebroadband
| reply to Fluker
Re: Yeah but I like it
said by Fluker :To me it would seem that 128k is a necessity. What about 56k? Your 128k number is way to arbitrary.
said by Fluker :The internet is a great resource and can be very empowering for a growing mind in need of information It sure can be. But that doesn't make it a necessity. The library can be even more empowering because it gets you off your butt and into the real world. Also those tapes of Mozart they make for babies can be wonderful for growing minds too. Should the government subsidize "baby tapes" too so everyone has the opportunity to raise a child prodigy? |
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shimonmor
join:2000-12-30
Sedro Woolley, WA
·wavebroadband
| reply to Pictor Guy
Re: or public service?
said by Pictor Guy :Why do people keep comparing it to a utility? Wouldn't comparing it to a paved road be more reasonable? Broadband has the same impact on development and housing prices as a paved road. And neither are `necessary', luxuries or utilities. Excellent analogy. |
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nonner9
join:2005-10-14
Charlotte, NC | reply to shimonmor
Re: Yeah but I like it
128kb is the definition of broadband given by some gov't agency (fcc maybe?) |
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