From current issue of Foreign Affairs (May/June 2005): "Summary: Once a leader in Internet innovation, the United States has fallen far behind Japan and other Asian states in deploying broadband and the latest mobile-phone technology. This lag will cost it dearly. By outdoing the United States, Japan and its neighbors are positioning themselves to be the first states to reap the benefits of the broadband era: economic growth, increased productivity, and a better quality of life." Rest of article on line at http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20050501faessay84311/thomas-bleha/down-to-the-wire.html Is the USA really falling behind other countries?
Doubtful. This came up some 30 - 40 years ago and has again every so often. If We're lagging that's because we're market-driven rather than force-fed. Way back when, France was seen as the world leader for the French government pushing amber terminals into people's homes. When the time was right (people actually wanted it) we sped past France and everyone else. A leopard can't change its spots and Foreign Affairs can't change its statism.
I stole these facts from a couple of reference sources: United States total area: 3,537,441 square miles. Population: 295,734,134 (July 2005 est.) The Japanese islands have a total land area of about 145,834 square miles Population: 127,417,244 (July 2005 est.) http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/fields/2119.html Given the difference in area to cover versus population concentration I would say that the US is doing fine. The article is not comparing apples to apples nor is it good for anything other than conjecture since it is far easier to provide voice and data access to high concentrations of users in a single area. If Japan wants to impress me provide the same level to the most remote users on one of the outlying islands. The article seems to have more of a political slant as opposed to a grounded technical piece.
I find the US to be "behind" in public transportation and mobile phone technology (and the metric system, but that is another topic ). One of the major reasons, as Fed mentioned, is the overwhellming size of the country. It is much more difficult to get broadband to farms in Montana and trains to small towns in Arizona because whoever provides these services is interested in making $, not losing it. But it's not the only reason. Japan, in general, does have a more advanced mobile phone network and more advanced mobile phones. Sure, it may be "easier" for them to provide and support these services. But that doesn't change the fact that they ARE farther along than the US. Brandon
Dissertation topic This part of my dissertation topic, so let me provide a little input. a. Mobile phone technology really isn't the issue. We have the technology but don't really have the demand. Text messaging is HUGE in Japan. It is so pervasive that students in a university classroom will message the professor rather than raising their hand and asking a verbal question. They have high rates of tendinitis in the young because they use their thumbs to text message. Most Japanese take public transportation to work so they can use their mobile toys more easily. Most Americans drive thus our preference for voice communications. It's a culture thing not a technology thing. It is available in our local stores, however, no one buys it. but b. There is actually a pretty widespread distribution of optical cable in the USA. However, most companies that laid it the go-go 90's went broke when the demand for its use wasn't there. A big one went through my town but it is sitting there doing nothing. Everyone in town is on DSL or wireless. The bigger towns have cable too. Wireless broadband will probably be the wave of the future for the more remote areas of rural America.
There are some people on this forum who could evaluate the above report but I'm not one of them. I can only report that my own quality of life has not seemed to suffer in the least despite the fact that I have neither a cell phone, a satellite dish or anything that might fall into the category of "wireless" technology. On the other hand, I do have a Jeep Cherokee that is 10 years old, a tractor that is even older, and a house that is approaching its 200th birthday. Somehow, despite being hopelessly behind in cellphone technology the US seems to inexplicably hold onto its position in the world. Go figure. Jack
Re: Re: Is the US Internet infrastructure outdated? This is great! I thought I was the only one left in America that doesn't have and doesn't use a cell phone. I don't feel deprived in the least by not having to go through life constantly holding something to the side of my head while I chatter endlessly.
I think the US appears to be behind the times because we are a market driven economy. If you look at most of the EU, they are highly government regulated. (an example is ISO). In the US, there are various cell phone technologies competing against one another-- in Europe, there is only one. Despite the naysayers, a majority of the new Internet technologies are being developed right here in the United States. (right here in the Silicon Valley - or in my case, right down the street at Stanford). Of course we are not as "wired" as Europe or Asia. If you remember, most of Japan's and Europe's infrastructure was destroyed during WWII -- and had to be rebuilt from the ground up. In the US, some podunk cities still use step switches in their central offices. This will change over time -- but it will take time.
There are two various cell phone technologies here in Europe, GSM and UMTS. (Both technologies are not really competing.) And your argument about Europe after WWII is not in every case true. At least in East-Germany (where i'm from) the whole telecommunications infrastructure was rebuild with the same technology like before WWII. (And this old technology was in use until the early 1990's!) However, today many East-Germans can't get DSL, because their new telephone line is based on fiber-optic cables, unfortunately using the German OPAL technology, which is incompatible to FTTP/FTTH. (A very good example of failed government regulation! ) I guess the US Internet infrastructure is anything else but outdated. The USA is just in several ways a country of contrasts.
Don't feel too bad about not getting DSL The outdated eastern Germany infrastructure means what they create in DSL's place will probably be far superior. DSL is actually one of the slower forms of broadband....
I had to resurrect this thread in order to hightlight this news story related to European superiority in cellphone technology. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=qw1117815302768G655 Enjoy. Jack
Is the USA really falling behind other countries? No, I think decimon is right in stating that it's a market driven event. Right now my local telephone company (Verizon) is installing fiber optic throughout the city's infrastructure. By September, I should have 5-15 Mbps broadband for about $30-50/month. Anyone in the LA area (and presumably other areas) notice that they have been discounting DSL rates recently. In my case they decreased the rate AND doubled the speed. The telephone companies have a long-term plan to offer fiber-optic rate broadband and possibly digital cable over these lines, thereby cutting out the cable companies completely. They have to come up with new ways of generating profit: long distance has been a non mover for years, and no more people are choosing to go cell phone only. There are so many variables when it comes to transportation in the US I just don't know where to start. I just heard today that there is going to be a fare increase for riding the monorail in Las Vegas. Officials said that it was due to lower than expected ridership. Of course if the damn thing would stop breaking down they might just get more riders to use it!! Also, comparing Japan transport systems to American transport systems isn't a good comparison. The Japanese don't have the land area that we have. Our culture is to build horizontally, theirs is to build vertically. Here the phrase “common walls” has a negative connotation to it. Japan?? There are even "luxury" condominiums in Santa Monica and adjacent cities boasting that their units have no common walls. “Ohh, they have two separate walls about six inches apart separating each unit. I’m really gonna pay a twenty percent premium for that!!” As far as wireless goes, talk to me when they focus on creating a secure standard rather than a bunch of new useless features.
