| Rural User Paradigm Shift... This is not meant to be an authoritative post, but I can imagine that the shape of society, and demographic layouts would change dramatically if broadband became available in rural areas. This would bring so many current uninformed users to the table.
There are a myriad of areas that you could project change. Imagine the futures markets affected by farmers giving real-time updates about crop status'. Or imagine how many more people, jobs, companies would relocate to unincorporated areas. It really would change the face of society in a tangible way, to have true broadband in rural areas.
This is great!
Metro clutter would spread out to the country, and cause currently small cowpoke tows to begin expanding at an attractive rate for Real Estate investment. Land values increase. I don't think the technology is anything phenominal, but getting real solid internet to rural areas would have a sincere effect on where most people choose to live.
Really, most large cities started as rural areas at some point in history, it was just trade lines, travel routes, and postal delivery that caused it to expand. I have lived this first hand. I grew up in a rural town with a population of a little under 2000 people. A town about 22 miles away was about 15000 people. Just in the last ten years, with at least reasonable costing dial-up, and some other franchise spread (Subway, Dairy Queen), it has exploded to nearly 12000 population.
And that nearby town, that used to only have a mom and pop grocery store chain, and couple of gas stations? Well now it is at nearly 100000 population, and has a Walmart, a Sears, a Dennys, 3 major name grocery stores, and is now looking like the next biggest town nearby did 15 years ago.
I know it is not really in the PowerCo's best interest to get Broadband internet to the rural areas, but I am totally excited at what opportunities that would present to a self-employed software engineer, and business automation consultant. Many businesses that still use a tried and true cash register, or even the old hardware store that uses a calculator and a paper invoice to sell, could move up to mini-Home-Depot status. The internet would not only bring connectivity, but it also brings people into the age where everything begins to get upgraded. Good money for us Tech-Related rural entrepreneurs.
I know some hicks really hate the killing of Ham by the standard technologies involved in BPL, but I am curious why Corridor Systems Inc. (www.corridor.biz) is not getting more press. Their technology puts out much less peripheral noise than a WiFi. To the tune of -10dbi compared to 20dbi of Wireless LANs. I guess its just a matter of time. The ramifications are profound, and joking aside, could very easily reignite a new technosocial age of innovation.
Again, the technology is not gigabit, only 216 megabit max so far, but that doesn't matter if its not used to connect major cities, but rather used to connect less densly populated rural and sparse sub-urban zones. I think it has a place, and certainly a future. For the big pipes, fiber is the way to go, no contest, but for local rural outreach powerline to the tune of Corridor System's model, cannot be touched.
That is just my take! Any guys from Corridor reading this, I certainly would like to talk to you! I have a test market that would love to get hooked up. Literally 1000+ people that would use the service. |
