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Michael J. Miller
Why fast Net access is a high-speed shell game

Michael J. Miller
Editor-In-Chief PC Magazine
Monday, January 22, 2001
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Broadband -- everybody wants it, but most people can't get it.

If you've ever had a broadband connection at home (or even when you travel), you know it's far better than dial-up. It's faster and thus allows for all sorts of applications. And more important, it's always on; you don't have to go through the process of waiting for a connection -- you just connect. Broadband really changes the way you look at the Internet.

Most PC Magazine readers want broadband at home as well as in their offices, and most readers I've talked to are frustrated by the delays in getting cable-modem or DSL service.

As the story in our current issue points out, broadband access is becoming more common, but it's still spotty. Many people have no access, and others are in DSL areas where service is technically possible but seems to require the right combination of stars to work correctly -- be it the distance to the local central office or the relationship between your DSL provider and the local phone exchange carrier.

Currently, a cable modem connection seems easier (if available in your area), although with cable you'll likely have only one choice of ISP -- your cable company. (The upcoming AOL/Time Warner merger may result in your having a couple of choices among ISPs, but I doubt cable will ever have as many local choices as DSL or dial-up ISPs.)

Widespread broadband deployment is likely to require two classes of Internet sites and services: those aimed at broadband and those aimed at dial-up (and, perhaps, another set for wireless devices, which will have even slower connectivity for at least the next few years). This may well mean multiple versions of existing sites, as well as new sites and services specifically aimed at broadband users.

Creating content and formats that serve the users of all of these different "Internets" will be a large and interesting challenge for all of us who create Web sites or who just want to connect with our customers and colleagues. But it's not avoidable, so we should all start planning for it.

Read PC Magazine's special report on broadband. Click for more.

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