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Report Insists U.S. Must Have Widespread 100Mbps By 2012
And needs to consider having 1Gbps service by 2015 to stay competitive...

A new report for the e-NC Authority developed by the Baller Herbst Law Group (I've interviewed muni-deployment expert Jim Baller several times over the years) argues that in order to remain competitive, the U.S. must have widespread deployment of 100Mbps service by 2012, with 1Gbps service emerging by 2015. Hey if you're going to dream, you might as well dream big (see executive summary and report itself, pdf).

The report notes that while we're slightly behind at the moment (we're number 15 in penetration and 22 in price according to the latest OECD data), we're in real danger of falling flat on our face. The combination of feeble penetration mapping, no over-arching deployment plan and limited deployment of FiOS and DOCSIS 3.0 could spell trouble in an age where broadband is quickly shifting from luxury service to necessary utility.

"Opponents may argue that the United States cannot realistically meet the targets and timetables that we propose, especially in hard-to-reach rural areas," admits the report. "To be sure, our proposed goals are very aggressive and may not be fully achievable. But the United States is losing critical ground every day, and we cannot afford further delays or half measures."

Of course even half-measures would be an epic improvement, considering this country currently has no broadband expansion plan whatsoever. Thanks to a combination of government corruption, dysfunction and industry lobbyist interference, we only just started mapping broadband penetration -- and that's still very much a work in progress. Ubiquitous 100Mbps by 2012? That would require some form of thaumaturgy.

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wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

2 recommendations

wifi4milez

Member

In other news...

Another recent report "insists" that I must have a 10,000 square foot house, and a 500% raise by 2012 in order to "stay competitive" in the US workforce. Furthermore, it also "insists" that I must have at least 3 luxury vehicles at my disposal at all times.

Seriously, all these "reports" that come out are a bunch of nonsense. Consumer broadband speeds have nothing to do with anything. The reality is that for businesses, both 100Mbps and GigE speeds are available in most urban or developed areas today. Given that business is what drives the economy, perhaps the report should have been more focused on that. Now I wont argue that business grade 100Mbps (+) connections are cheap ($1000 to $6000 per month), but that cost will surely come down in the next 4 years.

As for consumer connections, I can also argue that this report is baseless. With DOCIS 3.0 rollouts happening as we speak, 100Mbps will be available to large numbers of customers within the next 4 years. There will clearly be large rural areas that will struggle to be served by anything other than dialup, but thats a technical limitation that cant be rectified.

The bottom line is that these "doom and gloom" reports do nothing but stir up the malcontents on this website. The people who really need high capacity connections in the next 4 years will either have them, or they will move to where they are available (assuming that its so necessary for them).
voipdabbler
join:2006-04-27
Kalispell, MT

2 recommendations

voipdabbler

Member

We're already not competitive.

For the past 3 decades, we've allowed the politicians to cater to the multi-national corporations and allow the majority of our manufacturing capability to be moved offshore (along with the jobs). Not the smartest move with respect to national security. About the only thing we do produce is food; however, I worry about our over dependence on technology and the price we may ultimately pay for over use of our lands. The topsoil in all most every area is very thin--we're talking only a few inches. The Internet will not revive the American economy. We're on the slippery slope of decline when 70% of our GDP is consumer spending. Good paying jobs are the only answer to our declining world status, which means re-establishing a manufacturing base in this country. However, that means standing up to the multi-national corporations and undoing the tax breaks and laws that allow them to import foreign-made goods with little or no tariffs.