America’s Internet is due for an upgrade.
Years after American researchers laid the foundations for what has become the “Information Superhighway,” this country now finds itself trailing in regards to Internet innovation and speeds.
The United States’ ranked 13th in Internet speeds last year, according to Akamai Technologies. Ookla, a software company known for testing Web speeds, ranked us at 35, and, in 2011, Pando Networks had us at 26.
To make matters worse, the nonprofit New America Foundation found in a report that “the United States is among the most expensive and slowest” of countries that offer broadband services, noting that South Korea — who has the fastest Internet speeds in the world — had cheaper rates than some of our slowest services.
Basically, while we have trouble getting YouTube to play a video without seeing the dreaded “buffering” circle, South Koreans are surfing the Internet at speeds 200 times faster than what we deal with for only a little more than half the price of what we pay.
But if the Federal Communications Commission has its way, we might begin to see some change.
On Jan. 18, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski issued what is being dubbed the “Gigabit City Challenge.” Genachowski called on service providers and municipal leaders to deploy gigabit speed broadband — Internet speeds about 100 times faster than the average American connection — in at least one community in every state by 2015.
“American economic history teaches a clear lesson about infrastructure,” Genachowski said in a statement. “If we build it, innovation will come.”
“The U.S. needs a critical mass of gigabit communities nationwide so that innovators can develop next-generation applications and services that will drive economic growth and global competitiveness.”
Finally, it seems someone in a leadership position is looking at our lagging position in the world and trying to do something about it.
Gigabit-speed communities across the country would help ensure that Americans can be instantly connected to one another and the world. Consumers will be able to quickly upload and download high definition content, innovators will easily share and disseminate knowledge and applications and businesses will perform services much faster.
It is the first step in moving toward a more connected future, where information will be instantly available at your fingertips, ready to be shared with the world.
However, there will be obstacles.
America’s Internet service woes are often attributed to the market’s lack of competition. Private telecommunications companies often fight to retain their strong positions as market leaders, and about 96 percent of American households have access to only two or fewer broadband service providers, according to the FCC.
Without fierce competition, what reason do telecommunications companies have to invest in the infrastructure needed to boost our networks?
In order for the FCC to achieve these new goals, telecommunications companies must look past their immediate shareholder returns and work toward improving the country or competition should be returned to the market in the form of municipal broadband providers, Internet access services that are funded by local governments.
Lafayette’s LUS Fiber is a municipally owned broadband provider that provides ultra-fast speeds at competitive prices. Since the introduction of LUS Fiber, Lafayette has seen a surge in interest from technology-related companies and Cox Communications, one of the city’s main private providers, has slashed its rates for some across the city, according to USA Today.
It is a testament for what fast, affordable services can do for a city in today’s connected age.
If Baton Rouge — a city already teeming with bright, young individuals — can position itself as Louisiana’s gigabit community, then it can potentially open itself up to similar new innovation and investment.
It’s about time for America to position itself as a leader in the digital age.
