A number of websites this week carried stories of imminent service changes coming to Internet users. The 'Net is beginning to experience the strain from a variety of sources. First, high bandwidth usage is starting to take its toll on the infrastructure. This is caused by downloading large files (CDs, DVDs, large programs, large software updates), and web content that is rich in graphics, flash presentations, etc. Second, the number of broadband users has increased substantially in the last few years. Third, the infrastructure has not been updated or updated quickly enough. Fourth, ISPs may have been extremely greedy in their business models. There are probably other factors we could consider. For years I have been of the opinion that we are misusing Internet resources by switching websites and email from content to fluff. As a website designer I will never opt to have a flash introduction on my websites. I also opt to keep all emails as text only. That saves a huge amount of bandwidth. My philosophy is that just because we can do something does not mean we should do it. The 'Net infrastructure issue in the USA is a complete disgrace. This country is behind many others in upgrading and improving the pathways we use to communicate in cyberspace. And that leads me to believe the reason for this lack of improvement has to do with greed. I suspect companies that provide access to the Internet have been enjoying above average profits by not adding to the system anymore than they absolutely had to. Now they want users to pay more for services that are currently included in the basic packages they sell. They also want to add more capacity and for users to pay even more for such. Why, I wonder, can other countries offer more Internet speed at a lower cost to consumers? I believe it all comes down to greed.
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