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September 17, 2004
Broadband Playing Field
Talk about a gap in the playing field. Look at the numbers below. Here is the penetration of broadband into US homes by city according to Internet Retailer reports on Nielsen/NetRatings.
The top 10
San Diego, 69.6%
Phoenix, 68.4%
Detroit, 67%
New York, 66.8%
Sacramento, 64.9%
Orlando, 64.7%
Seattle, 63%
San Francisco, 63%
Los Angeles, 61.6%
Boston, 61.4%
Bottom 10
Baltimore, 50.1%
Miami, 49.6%
Chicago, 48.4%
Denver, 48.3%
Minneapolis, 46.9%
Milwaukee, 39.3%
Salt Lake City, 35.3%
Pittsburgh, 33.3%
Charlotte, 31.6%
Columbus, 26.9%
OK, some cities have higher broadband penetration than others. And happy to say Seattle is one of these. (The total penetration nationally is 51%). But compare even the best city to South Korea where (according to very worthwhile review in Chief Executive) overall broadband penetration is 78% of households. This is really significant. We are way behind in the most important area of infrastructure of the day.
The implications are dramatic. This is not just some techno geek issues or an just an opportunity for more massively multiplayer games. This reaches into everything. Think of what could be done if this kind of infrastructure gap was closed. Think of what kinds of new businesses or changes to existing business smart entreprenuers could accomplish. Think of distance learning. Think of healthcare.
I know there are lots of other issues this election year, but we need the same attitude about this infrastructure as we had in thirties about rural electrification and basic telecoms or in the fifties about interstate highways. This is the most critical infrastructure of the modern world. Invest in it ahead of the concrete applications and you will get the most innovative applications to fill it (witness the original internet). Wait for others to show the way and you get let behind. Access is key. It needs to be universal and cheap and flexible. Not exclusive, expensive and monolithic. The government can help. And it needs to get on the stick or watch or productivity go down the tubes. End of sermon.
Data via Perception Analyser.
Posted by johnza at September 17, 2004 07:41 AM
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Comments
i believe it is households subscribing.
Posted by: johnza at September 21, 2004 08:46 PM
Are those percentagges referring to availability of broadband, or to the percentage actually subscribing?
kk+
Posted by: kk+ at September 21, 2004 05:06 PM
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