hmm. Will the internet colapse in 2 years?

[Jaena]

Having worked in the telco industry myself, I have seen where some of these upgrades are not being done. Any rural area typically has its own telephone company because the equipment necessary to provide even basic phoen service to these areas when there is not a large customer base would make the cost of service in those areas higher. The charges on your bills such as th euniversal service charge and the subscriber line charge are to help level this out because the littler companies are given money each year that they are serving a rural area. These areas HAVE to have phone service for things liek 911 services and such, so the gov't pitches in to help.

The internet service, however, is also provided by these same companies if they have the money to do it, and is nonregulated so there is no requirement to have it at all. There are many many areas in the nation that barely have access to dialup because no company wants to even provide a local dialup number for them.

A major change just happened in Northern New England. Verizon was told that they needed to pick up teh pace in upgrading customers in MAine, Vermont and New Hampshire up to at least DSL service. Verizon wanted to focus on their bigger money areas, such as Massachusetts, where there is a much higher population density, higher customer base, higher income per household. FairPoint Communications was willing to put the money into getting at least 90% of the three states with DSL service within the next 5 years (if I recall the timeframe correctly). They are also planning on working on trying to bring the three states as well as all of thei rsmaller areas throughout the country (they have towns in FL, GA, AL, VA, WA, ID, OH, PA, NY that only they serve) up closer to the standards of the larger areas. Verizon was not even putting much effort into upgrading the larger cities in the three states, and even some of them weren't fully online.

For anyone who has ever been in these areas, it is like stepping back in time when you try to find internet access. Many of these areas do not have cable available to them, and sure as hell don't have fiber.



Short Answer: They don't WANT to spend the money for upgrades, and they really don't HAVE to either. Until it becomes regulated like the telephone (which it won't because it is not like water and power like telephoen is, a necessity), the companies who are responsible for these areas are not going to make the effort without a lot of pushing and shoving from their customer base. Or a lot of people analyzing where th ehighest profits will come from.

[kei]

[SirGunslinger]

I'm surprised they are not at least doing basic 128kbit DSL in rural areas. The technology for it on the Telco end it laughably simple to setup. Also, the majority of the cost of it is upfront so they will recoup the cost, and make money over time.

[Jaena]

But they don't want over time, they want a closer to instant gratification.

[Sperrit]

The internet is a business like any other. And all businesses want the same thing: Large Profits, Small Overhead. It's quite ridiculous, actually. We have this wonderful Capitalist System of "Competition" but all the big companies (oil, phone, etc.) start grumbling the minute that they have to start thinking about creating/maintaining a competitive edge. For goodness's sake, you're in the customer service industry! Get it together!

I also like that AT&T says that "The Internet" will esplode, not just their part of it. Like they own and operate the whole thing. Sheesh.

Join the Fun

[kei]

You are in a business to serve the people, but you can't seem grow-up and face the facts that nothing revolves around you. How pathetic, I thought this world had evolved some in the way of selfishness, yet it is still crumbling before our feet.

[SirGunslinger]

[FawkesFyre]