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Where Is The Broadband?

Posted by timothy on from the mostly-in-south-korea dept.

gouldtj writes "First Monday is running an article in its current issue entitled: The many paradoxes of broadband. It discusses some of the issues and ideas behind broadband, but seems to focus on: Where is it? There is also a really nice discussion on the telecom industry in general, along with the .com boom."

4 of 477 comments (clear)

  1. How many of us take it for granted? by vacaboca · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The points are thought-provoking - specifically along the lines of how much we that have broadband connectivity take it for granted? It is so easy to assume that since I've had residential broadband access for about 10 years, it *must* be a normal thing for everyone else by now.

    It's almost as if there's a virtual Third World of 'net access within our country - those oppressed by dial-up-only access. Is it in fact a governmental responsibility to bring it to everyone?

    1. Re:How many of us take it for granted? by squarooticus · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Is there a greater-good benefit,

      I don't ever buy these arguments. If I want something, I'll pay for it voluntarily. Co-ops are a good example of a voluntary "greater-good" financing scheme.

      or a direct benefit to the "haves" in the situation (us!), for everyone to have access?

      Again, if I want something, I'll pay for it. I simply expect others to do the same. If there is truly any benefit (all of which can ultimately be expressed by monetary profit) to subsidizing broadband to the sticks, then some private company will step up to provide it. If not, then I don't want the money taken from my pocket at the point of a gun to pay for something that might theoretically provide me with some hypothetical benefit.

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  2. Broadband by J3M · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't really needed by most people. Most people only use the net for email and some shopping. Paying $40 - $50 a month so your email gets sent a lot faster isn't very cost effective. Course us geeks like it, but we're the minority.

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  3. Where is it? by mopslik · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Most folks I talk to are still turned off by the price. While $40/mo for broadband certainly doesn't bankrupt me, it may still not be as attractive as many of the "$15/mo 56K access" deals that compete with it.