High-Speed Internet: 4 Trends You May Not Know
High-speed internet is no longer considered a luxury. Instead, it has become a standard and necessity that continues to evolve in capacity and capability. As the use and adoption of broadband internet increases, new developments have emerged.
Some of these include community broadband initiatives, faster technology like fiber networks, and plans for reinventing and expanding existing technologies. From Elon Musk’s plans to launch a global satellite-based internet network to rural communities building broadband networks, the evolution of high-speed internet is driven by social needs.
Rural Community Initiatives
In response to the lack of broadband internet expansion into rural areas, community members have started to take matters into their own hands. According to Kaleigh Rogers of Broadband Land, some rural communities in the U.S. have formed voluntary broadband committees and boards.
Committee members spend time identifying areas that need high-speed internet. Then, they engage with municipal governments to secure federal, state, and local funding for broadband expansion projects. Rural areas such as Letcher County, Kentucky, and Garrett County, Maryland, are installing fiber and harnessing unused “white space” spectrum to make high-speed internet a reality.
Other rural areas like Coshocton County in Ohio have formed partnerships between local technology companies and governments to lease spectrum space. As reported by Kaleigh Rogers, the leased space has resulted in a 26% increase in residents with access to high-speed internet.
Like other areas, the Coshocton County government was able to cover the cost of the project with grant money. These examples illustrate a trend across the country, with approximately 60 cooperatives initiating broadband internet projects.
Global Initiatives
The drive to expand broadband networks is also happening beyond the grassroots level. Private companies and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are gearing up for the possibility of launching satellite-based high-speed internet service on a global scale.
According to James O’Malley with techrader, Musk’s plans to launch thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites over large cities could provide more reliable and faster internet to a broader scope of people. The project’s goal is to provide internet speeds of up to one gigabyte per second around the globe. The proposed network would have the capacity to rival or even replace existing internet service providers.
5G Equipment
Besides the potential revamping of satellite-based technology, 5G wireless networks are set to replace the 4G standard. As 5G wireless networks are rolled out across the country, the increased speeds will create additional opportunities for wireless internet.
Some network equipment manufacturers will launch 5G wireless routers in anticipation, according to Andrew Liszewski with Gizmodo. The router works by taking in wireless frequencies and sending those frequencies back out to other devices within a home network. Where available, 5G wireless high-speed internet could eventually replace cable and DSL.
Fiber Networks
Fiber is usually much faster than other types of internet service. Fiber networks have more capacity because they send and receive data through pulses of light. While fiber technology isn’t new per se, it’s becoming more dominant.
Over 65 million U.S. households run on fiber. Networks using fiber to deliver broadband internet represented a 12% growth rate in 2021. Fiber is becoming more popular because it can deliver higher speeds, better reliability, and less latency. More providers, including Viaero, are investing in fiber networks.
This means analysts expect growth to continue and even accelerate in 2022. With ISPs investing more in fiber networks, additional broadband options will be coming to urban and remote communities. Major players aren’t the only providers expanding and investing in fiber internet service. Regional ISPs are also developing fiber networks and getting in the game.
Final Thoughts
These trends will expand the reach of broadband and high-speed internet while changing how we access online networks. Although community cooperatives could result in lower costs for subscribers, there is the chance a large global network controlled by a single company could increase costs.
Regardless of the cost impacts, new developments are expected to increase network speed and connectivity options for more subscribers. These include fiber internet service from national and regional providers.
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