Leader: Broadband provision
France has suddenly stolen a march over Britain in the provision of fast “broadband” access to the internet.
As usual, the discussion of broadband in the Guardian leads to more BT bashing (Letters: Slowed down by having to dial up, Guardian, March 30 2004). But where are the inspiring and imaginative ideas for the use of always-on broadband? The best the Guardian Leader that prompted the debate (Leader: Revolutions in waiting, March 27) can suggest is using ADSL for telephony and multi-channel television, which are hardly new concepts.
That BT is waiting for customers to discover their own need for broadband, when it should be leading the way with ideas and investment, is indeed shameful
There are many novel and useful applications of ADSL that could create substantial new markets for telcos, ISPs and others, and create sufficient demand to justify proper investment in this technology. That BT is waiting for customers to discover their own need for broadband, when it should be leading the way with ideas and investment, is indeed shameful. However, its critics would do better to spend less time bashing it, and more time investigating and promoting innovative applications of network technologies.
Sent for publication to the Guardian newspaper (UK)
Also and originally published at spy.typepad.com.