19 November 2003

Korea to build 100M bps Internet system

While the United States spends $87 billion on rebuilding Iraq, South Korea is earmarking the equivalent of $80 billion to build a nationwide Internet access infrastructure capable of speeds between 50M bps (bits per second) and 100M bps by 2010. By comparison, Cox Communications, provider of high speed internet service to Phoenix metropolitan area residents, offers a maximum of 3Mbps. Not that Korea wasn't already in the forefront of high speed internet availability:
South Korea is already regarded as the world's leading broadband nation, with 11.3 million broadband subscribers in a population of 48 million, and with 85 percent of new subscribers opting for broadband, according to telecommunication equipment vendor Alcatel SA.

An estimated 370,000 jobs will be created as a result of the initiative. Not too shabby in a nation with a population of 48 million. Should the U.S. be pursuing a similar plan, investing in its electronic network infastructure?

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