What broadband really needs--more than money to build more broadband-- is action on the demand side, says David McClure, U.S. Internet Industry Association president. The reason is that only about one percent of Americans actually cannot buy broadband access if they want to.
"We can now reach 99 percent of all households in the United States with some form of broadband," he says. "We are in pretty darn good shape."
The issue some policy advocates seem to be concerned about actually is not "availability" but rather "appetite" or other issues. Some potential customers might want broadband, but do not own PCs. Others might want broadband, but can't afford to buy it. Many potential users do not use PCs.
About 25 percent of the U.S. population does not use the Internet at all, McClure notes. "Worse than that, they don't care if they don't get it."
About 51 percent of the non-users say the Internet is not relevant to their lives, McClure adds.
It is true that 66 percent of the U.S. population now has some form of broadband at home. But that is a different matter than "availability." Cable modem service alone reaches 19 out of 20 homes in America, for example.
About nine percent of users have a dial-up connection. Of these, the majority cite price as the reason they haven't switched to broadband.
"Broadband in America is in wonderful shape and if you hear differently, it is a lie," McClure says. "Adoption is the problem, not deployment."
That doesn't mean we should neglect targeted investment in some areas where broadband really is not available or where coverage is spotty, he says. But there are several demand side issues that must be tackled to stimulate more usage. literacy is an issue. PC ownership and training are issues.
Investments in “smart networks” to enhance the efficiency of the networks and provide for advanced products and services also would be useful.
"Ask a 'public policy' advocate to name a place where broadband isn't available," McClure says. "They don't know any."
"U.S. broadband infrastructure is ranked fourth in the world and rapidly improving," he says. "U.S. broadband adoption is ranked at 15th in the world and not improving."
The important point is that "we are 15th in terms of adoption, not availability."
No comments:
Post a Comment