Broadband

By Robert X. Cringely

The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen.

This is part three of my explanation of how America went from having
the fastest and cheapest Internet service in the world to what we have
today -- not very fast, not very cheap Internet service that is hurting
our ability to compete economically with the rest of the world. Part
one detailed expected improvements in U.S. broadband based on emerging
competitive factors, yet decried that it was too little too late. Part
two explained how U.S. broadband ISPs are different from most overseas
ISPs and how those differences make it unlikely that we'll ever regain
leadership in this space. And this week's final part explains that this
all came about because Americans were deceived and defrauded by many of
their telephone companies to the tune of $200 billion -- money that was
supposed to have gone to pay for a broadband future we don't -- and
never will -- have.