Fiber: The only answer to the need for speed
New innovations like internet TV and phone service are making the need for speed clearer and clearer. The only technology that will be able to handle these and future innovations is fiber-optic cable. Delivering speeds up to 100 megabits per second, fiber is the future of the internet, and in some places, it's already being implemented.
In many new developments, service providers are running fiber optic cables directly to the homes, as in Verizon's FiOS system. Another option is a hybrid approach, in which fiber is run to neighborhoods and delivered to individual homes via existing DSL loops. This approach provides speeds much higher then traditional DSL.
But the progress of fiber to the home is far too slow. This is due to the very high costs involved in building the infrastructure.
Industry estimates of $1500 to $3400 per installation make fiber prohibitive. Investment is beyond what even the multibillion-dollar carriers like AT&T and Verizon can handle—and what subscribers are willing to pay.
The answer to this conundrum lies with the government. Fiber to the home is expensive but in the public interest, so the government must provide incentives for telecom companies to build it and policies that ensure maximum buildout. A national plan for high speed internet is the only way the United States can keep pace with the rest of the world.
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