British company testing broadband service that’s 51 times faster than the U.S. average
A communications provider in the UK, Virgin Media, is in the proces of testing out a cable system that’s 51 times faster than the average broadband speed in the United States. Using the next-generation cable data technology known as DOCSYS 3.0, this little hotshot can bring down 200 Mb per second Internet, video at “full HD” 1080p, and even 3D movies.
It’s a pilot project that will be underway for the next six months, now being tested by 100 early-adopting customers in the UK. Even though this kind of speed is not available to consumers yet, this gives you a good look at the true capabilities of DOCSYS 3.0, the next generation of consumer broadband service, which, for example, is already available to 30% of the Comcast network.
Consider that the average broadband download speed in the United States is 3.9 Mb per second, and that 200 Mb per second number will show you how far behind the rest of the world we are falling in a technology we created.
In times of a historic recession and with our fellow countrymen losing their jobs and homes each and everyday, we can not afford to be left behind especially considering the world is becoming a global marketplace. If we are competing with the rest of the world shouldn’t we at least be on the same playing field?
What do you think?