Study: Broadband Brings Jobs Carnegie Mellon & MIT research Tuesday Jan 24 2006 09:50 EDT "For the first time, we can say unequivocally that broadband access does matter to the economy, just as common sense suggests it should", notes a new MIT and Carnegie Mellon study (pdf) on broadband's economic impact. "We estimate that between 1998 and 2002, communities in which mass-market broadband was available by December 1999 experienced more rapid growth in employment, the number of businesses overall, and businesses in IT-intensive sectors." |
garagerock Premium Member join:2002-06-14 Louisville, KY
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well, Duh!it's not like that new industrial park is going to keep filling high tech jobs on dialup. maybe it's just me. | |
| | Shack join:2002-01-17 Bloomington, IN |
Shack
Member
2006-Jan-24 10:03 am
Re: well, Duh! Roll your eyes all you want, but until reliable studies are done you will not convince th powers that be that investment in technology is important. It is a part of reality. This is a good thing that a well respected University is stating what many of us already understand. | |
| | | gpancner join:2001-09-27 Nine Mile Falls, WA |
Re: well, Duh!Northeast Ohio has broadband and HIGH unemployment. So how reliable (slanted) is the study anyway? | |
| | | | Shack join:2002-01-17 Bloomington, IN |
Shack
Member
2006-Jan-24 10:11 am
Re: well, Duh! I have no doubt that there are areas that will not meat the model. There is much more to it than simply offering broadband. | |
| | | | | ronpinImagine Reality join:2002-12-06 Nirvana 1 edit |
ronpin
Member
2006-Jan-24 10:17 am
May Krishna bless you very very much! "Tank you - tank-you tank-you!!! |
"Yes yes I scrape living til broad-a-ben come yes yes tank-you!" | |
| | | | | | Pirate515 Premium Member join:2001-01-22 Brooklyn, NY |
Pirate515
Premium Member
2006-Jan-24 12:10 pm
Re: May Krishna bless you very very much!said by ronpin:"Yes yes I scrape living til broad-a-ben come yes yes tank-you!" Yes, and yo dauta kick my dog, now I'm going to get a loya and you ar going to go to jail' Seriously, this is one of the reasons why I prefer OOL over Verizon DSL. | |
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to garagerock
"For the first time, we can say unequivocally that broadband access does matter to the economy.
then go back to your dial up & we'll see about the economy. | |
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to garagerock
this is not a "well, Duh" issue. it's a common sence issue. | |
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FFH5 Premium Member join:2002-03-03 Tavistock NJ |
FFH5
Premium Member
2006-Jan-24 10:27 am
Actual positive results statistically inconclusive From the study
Other than rental costs(and is higher rental costs actually a positive??), the perceived deifference in broadband vs non-broadband areas is 1% or less. I don't know about you, but I find that those %'s are satistically insignificant.
I agree that broadband MAY have a positive affect on a communities prosperity, but I don't think that this study has actually proved that at all.
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| | ronpinImagine Reality join:2002-12-06 Nirvana |
ronpin
Member
2006-Jan-24 10:38 am
Re: Actual positive results statistically inconcluStatistics!!! -- like "Our economy has seen positive growth for 11 straight quarters" (precisely equal to length of Iraq War!) | |
| | | garagerock Premium Member join:2002-06-14 Louisville, KY |
Re: Actual positive results statistically inconclu | |
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Well...Their data is at least three years old, and predates the telecom/dotcom bust. It also assumes that the broadband chicken laid the employment egg and not the other way around. It may be equally true that "mass-market broadband" was first deployed in areas experiencing "more rapid growth in employment" since that's where the money is (was?) to be made.
The telecom landscape has drastically changed since 1999 (or even 2002 for that matter) and I doubt this study will provide much more than an interesting historical factoid snapshot. | |
| | Combat ChuckToo Many Cannibals Premium Member join:2001-11-29 Verona, PA |
Re: Well...said by RadioDoc:It also assumes that the broadband chicken laid the employment egg and not the other way around. It may be equally true that "mass-market broadband" was first deployed in areas experiencing "more rapid growth in employment" since that's where the money is (was?) to be made. My thoughts exactly. | |
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to RadioDoc
Bingo We have a winner You are correct. I believe the data was molded to fit the hypothesis. I can give two examples of the opposite. I live in Hillsboro Oregon which was the epicenter of the State of Oregons investment I.E. throwing more tax dollars tax abatements into infrastructure. For me personally I was in the thick of it as a Tech at ADC Kentrox., a maker of telecommunication equipment needed to build the high speed networks needed to fuel the dot con boom. As a result rents did rise and there was growth in broadband and economy due to the area attracting a more sophisticated customer base with more discretionary income to afford broadband. Broadband usage was fueled by increase of the economy and not the other way around. The big problem was the growth in high tech masked serious problem cause by government. Economy grew in spite of high taxes and excessive regulation, here in Oregon. While high tech grew other areas floundered including the spectacular flop by Portlands investment in a floating dry dock. Eventually the bottom dropped out form the high tech economy. Many company were sold, moved out or went bankrupt. ADC Kentrox had downsize and relocated in 2000. I was laid us off in 2000. Eventually what left was sold to private equity firm. The end result in the citys and states folly was we have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and lag in economy growth compared to other states. Even today one can drive around Intels campus and see the rows empty office and industrial spaces some built with government money still remain unoccupied even with the growth of Broadband in Portland.
Another that broadband doesnt bring economic growth is Ashland Oregon municipal fiber network. It cost $9,000,000 and while it did bring $20 internet it, the city now must grapple with $180,000 of debt that t will balloon to $450,000 next year and can reach thee million by 2011. This is a big hit for a small rural town that is known for its Shakespeare festival. The city is already discussing tax increases. | |
| | | pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty Premium Member join:2002-05-02 Mount Airy, MD 1 edit |
pnh102
Premium Member
2006-Jan-24 5:08 pm
Re: Well...said by richardpor:Another that broadband doesnt bring economic growth is Ashland Oregon municipal fiber network. It cost $9,000,000 and while it did bring $20 internet it, the city now must grapple with $180,000 of debt that t will balloon to $450,000 next year and can reach thee million by 2011. This is a big hit for a small rural town that is known for its Shakespeare festival. The city is already discussing tax increases. <sarcasm> Wait a second... if you read BBR you would know that socialist broadband is the panacea for every town's problems! Got a drinking problem in your town? Implement socialist broadband! Got a drug or gang problem in your town? Implement socialist broadband! Your schools stink? Your football team needs a new stadium? Implement socialist broadband! Yup... these networks involve NO risks whatsoever to individual taxpayers and will ALWAYS pay for themselves forever and ever because telegraph and cable companies are EVIL! </sarcasm> Someone should give that city government a big, fat "SEE I TOLD YOU SO" award. | |
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FightingBlue
Anon
2006-Jan-25 6:26 pm
Re: Well...Right, 'cause all of the hundreds of cities and towns that have deployed municipal broadband with positive results are a figment of people's imaginations. The same with all the studies which show that when internet access goes up, education goes up, and when education goes up, so does the economy. What we really need to sort out the situation is the opinion of some upper-middle-class suburbian ideologue whose idea of reasoned discourse is Fox News' latest list of reasons why anyone to the left of the Kaiser hates America, somebody who's so tight-fisted that they're unwilling to spare a dollar out of their pocket to help out the less fortunate, somebody who thinks that paying their fair share of the bill for roads, schools, and a national defense is the same thing as the government "stealing" their money. Yeah, that's what we need. | |
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