[Chapter-delegates] Washington Post: America's Internet Disconnect

[Alex Gakuru]

America's Internet Disconnect

By Michael J. Copps
Wednesday, November 8, 2006; Page A27

America's record in expanding broadband communication is so poor that it
should be viewed as an outrage by every consumer and businessperson in the
country. Too few of us have broadband connections, and those who do pay too
much for service that is too slow. It's hurting our economy, and things are
only going to get worse if we don't do something about it.

The United States is 15th in the world in broadband penetration, according
to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). When the ITU measured a
broader "digital opportunity" index (considering price and other factors) we
were 21st -- right after Estonia. Asian and European customers get home
connections of 25 to 100 megabits per second (fast enough to stream
high-definition video). Here, we pay almost twice as much for connections
that are one-twentieth the speed.
How have we fallen so far behind? Through lack of competition. As the
Congressional Research Service puts it, U.S. consumers face a "cable and
telephone broadband duopoly." And that's more like a best-case scenario:
Many households are hostage to a single broadband provider, and nearly
one-tenth have no broadband provider at all.

For businesses, it's just as bad. The telecom merger spree has left many
office buildings with a single provider -- leading to annual estimated
overcharges of $8 billion. Our broadband infrastructure should be a reason
companies want to do business in the United States, not just another reason
to go offshore....
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110701230.html>

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Alex Gakuru
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