Rich Fiscus
18 Jun 2008 21:18
Do you use your broadband internet connection for video? If so you might partly responsible for "breaking" the internet within the next few years according to more than half of the 372 telecommunications professionals surveyed by Tellabs and research firm IDC. More than 10% think it will happen within the next 2 years.
So what's the solution? It seems that nearly half of those surveyed believe it's up to ISPs, either through traffic inspection and prioritization or simply charging more for using "excess bandwidth."
"The findings of this survey make it very plain that bandwidth is not infinite," said Lee Doyle, Group Vice President and General Manager, Network Infrastructure and Security Products and Services, IDC. "Unless there is sufficient investment into new infrastructure, the increased bandwidth demands of new advanced services could well outstrip capacity."
Dan Kelly, executive vice president of global products for Tellabs is quick to point the finger at consumers for causing the problem. He said "Internet access has become essential for millions of Americans and the appetite for bandwidth is putting pressure on service provider networks."
But it's hard to feel much sympathy for ISPs. How many times have you seen a TV commercial for broadband internet that didn't mention online video?