How Much Does a New Internet Cost?

wschalle writes "Given the recent flurry of articles concerning ISP over subscription, increasing bandwidth needs, and lack of infrastructure spending on the part of cable companies, I'm forced to wonder, what is the solution? How much would a properly upgraded internet backbone cost? How long would it take to make it happen? Will the cable companies step up before Verizon's FiOS becomes the face of broadband in America?"

Comments

Re:Move to Japan...

[Shinra]

One important detail to remember is that Japan's Total Population is 127,333,002 from
the 2004 Census, and estimated this year at 127,433,494 with a Density of 337 /km

Compare that to the United States: 281,421,906 at the 2000 Census, and estimated
this year at being 302,286,000, with a Density of 31 /km

(Figures acquired from Wikipedia)

Now, while this would figure to balance out the countries in terms of population
per square mile (And as a result, Regional Cable/DSL Internet ISPs total subscriber numbers),
a THIRD factor is the total LAND area held by both countries: The United States 3rd in the world,
while Japan is 62nd.

The difference in Population? Japan is 10th, while also 3rd.

So, The United States has a LOT more area to which people can live at, whereas a majority
of Japanese live in Urban areas, or at least in a high population per square mile percentage.

The forth factor of course is that ISPs tend to charge more, or at least have a limit to how far they
carry their services, and its usually more expensive to carry cable/dsl lines over a long distance. Japan's
lower land-area and higher Persons Per Square Mile (Squared) and you have the simple fact that
United States ISPs are simply more taxed on resources and area to deliver service. This is why while the
prices might be around the same, the service in Japan is much better: They have a lower total population to worry about (And
I haven't even bothered to add in public Wifi Networks and the like for Tourist purposes), along with
a MUCH higher number of people within any square mile, thus the service gets delivered to more people
in the same area (More Bang for the Buck as it were).

However, its nowhere as simple as that, but the point of this (In retrospect entirely too long and probably
factually inaccurate on small points) is that there are several good reasons why a straight across-the-board comparisons
between Japan's ISP service and the United States cannot be totally Objective. Subjective data will be put into
play if more accuracy is to be desired (But in the act of including it, due to its subjective nature, will make it
LESS accurate... well whatchoo gonna do? :p ) that includes Demographics, Pop Culture, Mean Age of Residents,
Health Care, Income Levels, Regional Cultures, and a wide range of other factors that make it entire too complex
for me to think about any-longer).

Short Attention Spanned: Japan is smaller in size and population, so their ISPs can service better,
and due to the US's large size, the lower speeds/higher price is a sacrifice they have made.

tl;dr: Japan = Apple, USA = Orange.

*faints*