Introduction 

The Promise of Broadband

The US no longer lags behind the rest of the world in moving to broadband.

According to the Yankee Group 85% of US households have access to broadband. In early 2005 Parks Associates found that about 33% of all US households have broadband access and nearly 20 million have a home network. The current rate of broadband growth suggests that this percentage will continue to grow. The federal government recognizes the potential of broadband to boost the economy and improve the lives of citizens.

"This country needs a national goal for…the spread of broadband technology. We ought to have…universal, affordable access for broadband technology by the year 2007, and then we ought to make sure as soon as possible thereafter, consumers have got plenty of choices when it comes to [their] broadband carrier."
—- President George W. Bush, March 26, 2004

Uses for broadband include:

• Telemedicine and video conferencing
• Interactive television and other entertainment
• Telephony — voice over the Internet
• Telecommuting

Concerns about broadband include:

• Cable operators are not "common carriers" and are less regulated than phone companies. They could exercise more control over content and distribution than they should.
• It costs a lot more than a dial-up connection.
• Security is more complex and end-users may not get enough help in setting up firewalls and other security mechcanisms.

What about dial-up?

There may always be a place for dial-up service, but within a couple of years the majority of the connections to the Internet will be via Broadband.

Tip for broadband users: If your business depends on Internet access, it's a good idea to have a dial-up account in case your broadband connection is down.