Internet and alfaa

[Andrew Halket <arbh@domain.elided>]

vladds writres:

>Internet is acually not that moch of "inter"national at all.I think that=
 if=3D20
>one would take the time they would find out that say, 80% of the worldwi=
de=3D20
>internet backbone hardware is located in US.What you have in the rest is=
 onl=3D
y=3D20
>some narrow band access grouped around universities or one major provide=
r=3D20
>(that charges an arm and a leg for access , probably).At best, some have=
=3D20
>access from their jobs.A friend from Germany recently reported that AOL=3D=
20
>charges there by the hour mainly and with him chatting constantly, not s=
o=3D20
>seldom he would reach $100/month in bill for AOL.

This is rather an isolationist viewpoint (dare i say arrogant even...).  =
AOL in the
UK is unlimited, costing =A310 a month flat.  There are twice as many sub=
scribers to
FREE services - the biggest being freeserve.  Almost all providers have l=
ocal rate
dial up from anywhere in the country. Something like 25% of homes have ac=
cess, I
think, and the rate is growing very rapidly.

Some other countries in Europe have bigger internet penetration - top is =
Sweden I
think.

Access is not particualry broadband, with only local trials of ADSL - but=
 thsi is
beign invested in heavily now.  Also, most of the UK has cable with its b=
roadband
access.  The US is not the only first world country...

Andrew

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