More On Bandwidth

I hope I'm not belaboring this point, but I've found evidence that contradicts the research I posted earlier this week claiming to show that there is little danger of Internet traffic exceeding capacity (and strengthens my original suspicion that such a "bandwidth crunch" is a likely limiting factor in the march toward Carr's World Wide Computer future).

Specifically, AT&T claims to be worried about increasing demand for bandwidth and investing in new capacity. It seems to doubt its own ability to keep pace, however.

According to the company's "VP for Legislative Affairs":

"The surge in online content is at the center of the most dramatic changes affecting the Internet today . . .  In three years' time, 20 typical households will generate more traffic than the entire Internet today."

And further that volume of internet traffic will increase 50 times by 2015, outstripping the ability of providers to keep up. As one might expect, video appears to be the real driver of demand.

Interesting stuff - but ultimately I don't know who to believe.

Comments

[Ruben Rodrigues]

I read the comments by the AT&T VP as well and a few things came to mind. My initial thought is that he's focusing on the last-mile networks to typical retail consumers, whereas the earlier study you pointed to focused on "overall" bandwidth. I think there's probably a decent argument that those last-mile lines are getting slightly saturated, since they're usually not fiber as opposed to the trunk lines.

Also, I hate to be cynical (actually it can be fun), but given that it was an AT&T executive's comments that sparked the entire "net neutrality" debate, it may be to their advantage to frame a picture of a "limited internet". Particularly since they just recently began offering digital TV over their broadband connections as a way to compete with Cable. If they can prioritize their own video services under the guise of a "limited internet", they need not expand overall bandwidth in order to make it work (to the expense of video providers who don't have the advantage of controlling the networks, and consumers who don't subscribe to AT&T's video service).

[bibibgoikixx]

two girls one cup
2 girls 1 cup

[rvdfdsfds]

NEW! 2 girls 1 cup VIDEO.
view now
2 girls 1 cup