I've just read that the FCC chairman is claiming that 'Super Wi-Fi' is coming to the US. This is great news. But is it realistic? Don't we currently have the fastest Internet around? We are #1 - right?
No - recent facts are that the US ranks 16th globally in Internet speed. (source: State of the Internet Q1 2010 report by Akamai). Yes, South Korea is #1 (12 Mbps average speed).
While I welcome the new super Wi-Fi that is being proposed - the longer wavelengths will have much better penetration and reach. I believe fast internet is important to our economy and I believe we could do better. The examples are available, the data is known (read the Akamai report). Obama’s stimulus package ($789 Billion) allocated $7.2 B for broadband funding. I don't know if the money has been spent yet, but it would not show up in the Q1 2010 report.
On a side note - I find it ironic that CNN used a picture of kids holding up their OLPC XO laptops that use peer to peer networking in the Super Wi-Fi story. Those computers are designed to work very well with low internet speeds or no internet, just peer networking.
No - recent facts are that the US ranks 16th globally in Internet speed. (source: State of the Internet Q1 2010 report by Akamai). Yes, South Korea is #1 (12 Mbps average speed).
While I welcome the new super Wi-Fi that is being proposed - the longer wavelengths will have much better penetration and reach. I believe fast internet is important to our economy and I believe we could do better. The examples are available, the data is known (read the Akamai report). Obama’s stimulus package ($789 Billion) allocated $7.2 B for broadband funding. I don't know if the money has been spent yet, but it would not show up in the Q1 2010 report.
On a side note - I find it ironic that CNN used a picture of kids holding up their OLPC XO laptops that use peer to peer networking in the Super Wi-Fi story. Those computers are designed to work very well with low internet speeds or no internet, just peer networking.
Comments