High Bandwidth
Internet Access
March 2013
Over the past two decades, the Internet has drastically changed. In 1987, the fastest dial-up modems ran at 9.6kbps. Today, some providers offer broadband access over the same copper infrastructure at 50Mbps.2 This is a huge
increase, and demand for bandwidth isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
In fact, there’s an increasing shortage of bandwidth, relative to America’s growing need for it2. The growth of network
bandwidth over the past 25 years has been compared to storage density and processing power, which typically doubles in performance every two years2.
Opening Doors to Business
Innovation
The benefits of speed; Bandwidth enables communication and knowledge exchange to accelerate business development.
Big bandwidth
Overt-the-top trend: Rich content and cloud computing services are driving innovation and demand high bandwidth. 2Speeds have
increased 4,000
fold.
High bandwidth improves
efficiency and productivity.
1
The American City Business Journals conducted a survey of over 1,700 small and midsized business owners. The results showed that Internet access was being used to achieve strategic goals, and to improve competitiveness, efficiency, and interaction with
vendors. Internet access has also been shown to increase the quality and frequency of communication with
customers.
For bandwidth, this means maximum data speeds have increased 4,000 fold
between the time of the first generally available online services and 20112. But why
is the demand rising? The answer is simple. High
bandwidth Internet access is opening new doors to
capabilities that improve efficiency and productivity. This includes applications that leverage the cloud.
2
The Benefit of Speed
Businesses rely on
information, knowledge and communication now more than ever, which is why the demand for high bandwidth Internet is growing.4
This technology allows for real-time interactions with customers, something that was unheard of two
decades ago. Higher bandwidth
capabilities are also used for data-intense graphics and video content online, allowing companies to:
• Accelerate business development • Engage in new
opportunities
• Promote innovation • Customize and scale
bandwidth based on changing business needs
“Our (bandwidth)
speeds are
one-fourth of theirs…we
have fallen off the
map.”
-Former President Bill
Clinton
With these significant benefits in mind, it is no surprise that government leaders and policy makers, along with information technology experts, are eager to see the U.S. realize the benefits of high bandwidth, without regard to geography. Earlier this year at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show, former President Bill Clinton made the observation that South Korea is now number one in the world for computer download speeds, and the U.S. has fallen to number 15. “Our speeds are one-fourth of theirs, and we have fallen off the map,” Clinton said. Industry expert, Richard Bennet, a senior researcher at Information Technology Innovation Foundation, suggests the U.S. was ranked more closely to 8th place. In January,
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski pointed at success of broadband initiatives in locales such as Bristol, Virginia and Chattanooga, Tennessee, where thousands of jobs have been created. Genachowski began calling for all 50 states to create at least one 'gigabit community' by 2015 saying, "The US needs a critical mass of gigabit communities
nationwide so that innovators can develop next-generation applications and services that will drive global economic growth.”
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This “over the top” trend is allowing consumers to use on-demand technology for everything from
user-generated content to entertainment and movies. For the business market, cloud is being used for a wide range of applications, including: online services, backing up files on local computers, servers, and in the cloud – and online tools to archive email to hosting virtual servers. Specific business applications, such as SharePoint, leverage this technology to operate in the cloud and assist with
efficient transfer of large amounts of information.
Tapping into New Capabilities
Operational efficiency is taken to a new level, with access to high bandwidth Internet. For example, voice and Internet service can be used over high-speed cable Internet connections, which are designed to precisely match your company’s needs. Often times, this can result in cost savings.
Operating in the cloud and increased scalability are additional benefits gained from this technology. Even routine tasks, such as listening to voicemail, get more efficient with the capability to listen through email attachments. Also,
2
POTS lines, for alarms and fax machines, can run with increased bandwidth. You can also safeguard against catastrophic data loss through a partnership with the right provider. With these capabilities, you have the ability to access files from anywhere, as well as have a redundant circuit in place with auto failover. For example, if a circuit goes down you have a backup already in place; eliminating downtime and giving you back control.
Moving Ahead
When it comes to the Internet: everything is moving faster.4 And
technology isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Leveraging high bandwidth Internet access allows companies to solve their biggest problems. As a result, they tap into robust solutions to better compete in the marketplace. 7
About CornerStone
CornerStone delivers
advanced communications solutions to organizations of all sizes, in all industries. Enjoy the benefits of our
SkySphere℠ product line of cloud voice and cloud computing services, and use our high-bandwidth Cable Access Transport (CAT) service to connect to the
3
cloud. Our credentials include SAS 70 Type II and SSAE 16 SOC II certifications as well as a robust carrier-grade voice and data network. SkySphere, only from CornerStone, is a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner; meets the stringent requirements to become an Intuit-Authorized
Commercial hosting company; is a ZixCorp Diamond Partner; and works with technology platforms and providers such as Cisco, Citrix®, Blackberry®,
Barracuda, Mozy® and Sonian for best-in-class solutions. Let us help you assess how to best leverage hosted e-mail, hosted desktops, virtual private servers, and a full range of products and services from a single, trusted advisor.
References
1. Mani Subramanian and Lundy Lewis. “QoS and Bandwidth Management in Broadband Cable Access Network.” Computer Networks 43, 2003.
2. “Speed Need. Pushing Cable Capacity to the Edge.” Engineering & Technology, September 2011.
3. Brandi Guidry. “Economic Implications of Fiber-to-the-Home Infrastructure Networks in the United States: A Community-level Analysis.” The International Journal of Technology, Knowledge Society, Volume 7, Number 1, 2011.
4. John Dahlquist. “Bandwidth: The Gold Rush of the Cable Industry.” CED March/April 2012. 5. Tim Wu. “Bandwidth is the New Black Gold.” Time, Vol. 175 Issue 11, March 2010.
6. Scott Beardsley, Andrew Doman and Par Edin. “Making Sense of Broadband.” McKinsey Quarterly, Issue 2, 2003.
7. Hanns Kuttner. “Broadband for Rural America: Economic Impacts and Economic Opportunities.” Hudson Institute and Foundation for Rural Services, October 2012.
