The Broadband Imperative

Broadband is one of the most exciting markets imaginable. Service and content providers can touch people's lives in new ways, bringing new forms of entertainment to the consumer and enabling huge new opportunities for small and medium sized businesses who have yet to fully exploit Broadband technologies. Most importantly it can also offer market players a highly profitable business opportunity.

Statistics show that, globally, over 25 million Broadband connections exist, so this is clearly an opportunity worth tracking. Yet because of the recent downturn in the world economy, and the stigma attached to enterprises involving the Internet or Internet technologies, raising capital to exploit some of these opportunities has been tough. Even established companies have found it difficult, if not impossible, to raise money for new ventures.

However, Broadband's greatest advantage is that it enables many of the promises that the Internet appeared to deliver but singularly failed to do. It does so simply by making that technology work at acceptable speeds. And speed is critical. Internet addicts and early adopters have already got Broadband where they can, and are complaining loudly where they cannot - i's a clear indication of demand when people set up consumer web sites and pressure groups.

However, although speed is important it is simply the beginning of the story, the starting point. The rest of the market needs more stimulation than fast, always-on Internet access to convert them into customers, and they are not getting that from the current providers. Without content for consumers, or services and applications for businesses Broadband is just as fast, always-on connection to the Internet and, for most users, that is not enough.

The growth in Broadband markets will be driven not by downloaders of MP3 files and the 'adult' market, but by real Internet based applications and by content. When those offerings become compelling, so will the Broadband proposition. If the telecommunications and IT industries do not exploit Broadband's ability to transform the way we use communications and deliver new compelling applications and services at revolutionary prices to previously poorly served markets, it will be seen as another technology which failed to deliver.

For more information, visit wiredworkplace.net/broadband where you can find more information about the Broadband services currently offered, and how they can benefit you!