Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Increased US Broadband Adoption Could Create 2.4 Million Jobs

Posted by Soulskill on from the taking-development-cues-from-kentucky dept.

Ward D points out a story about a recent study that predicts significant economic growth through increased broadband adoption in the U.S. The study is based on a program in Kentucky that has, through the increased use of broadband, "saved an average of more than $200 per person per year" on health-care services, and decreased the average amount of time residents spent driving by 100 hours per month. From Computerworld: "The Connected Nation model ... focuses more on broadband adoption and local needs than huge, government-funded programs. Several Kentucky businesses have benefited from the increased access, according to Connected Nation. Geek Squad, the Best Buy subsidiary, moved its headquarters to Bullitt County, Kentucky, in late 2006 because of the broadband availability."

4 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Nice idea, but possibly dubious math by postbigbang · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A few lucky economic development wins doesn't constitute rapid job growth. I'm glad people shop online and glad they save fuel. But so far, no one has shown direct, only indirect benefits..... not job creation (save for nebulous 'tech' jobs) or anything else than infrastructure maintenance positions (truck rollers, moles, linemen, and so forth). It would be nice if there could be an easier quid pro quo data set that motivated communities (and not to get in bed with telcos without titanium strings attached to the deals). Look at the problems with muni-wifi, the failures of WiMAX, and the sheer dominance of the telcos. Community networking is in a sad state, and this study, sadly, doesn't help.

    --
    ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
    1. Re:Nice idea, but possibly dubious math by webmaster404 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Think of it this way. Its very hard to run an online business on dial up. The more broadband we have here in the US the faster tech jobs will grow because people can actually use the internet. For example, downloading Linux ISOs, on a decent connection it might take an hour at the most, with dial up that could take days. Also dial-up users are less likely to download programs because a good sized program may take 10 minutes on dial up but take a few seconds on broadband. This is by far good news for Linux people and to people wanting more tech jobs.

      --
      There is no "disagree" moderation, and troll, flamebait and overrated are not valid substitutes
  2. Increased US Broadband Adoption Could Create by falconwolf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    2.4 million jobs.

    And what jobs are those? TFA doesn't say. Sure some temporary jobs would be created to build the infrastructure and a few more permanent jobs will be created to maintain it but what other jobs will be created? /.'s title is a bad one as TFA is more about money saved not jobs created.

    Falcon
    --
    Should there be a Law?
  3. the rest of the story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is a tech related jobs article which seems to have been accidentally truncated.

    Increased US Broadband Adoption Could Create 2.4 Million Jobs in India

    fixed