Broadband

An Insight and Its Benefits

Abstract

Countries around the world have nominated broadband network as establishing an information society for achieving their social, economic and scientific goals. Broadband has been a beacon for investors and a stimulus for entrepreneurs and mainstream businesses. This has intensified debates about the public interest in information and communications infrastructure. Broadband enables dramatically different patterns of use that offer the potential for significant changes in lifestyle and business. It is viewed by some as a double-edged sword: networking could promote economic development, yet electronic commerce also has the potential to displace local businesses. The paper focuses on defining broadband, identifying and assessing the benefits of broadband technologies. Although broadband technologies are being widely adopted by consumers, and heavily promoted by governments, it is observed that their impacts to date are subtle, rather than spectacular.