These days, it seems pretty much anything can be done over the Internet. With the ongoing advancements in home electronics and the ever-increasing volume of online content, there are growing numbers of households and SMBs (Server Message Blocks) adopting an “Internet Only” telecom model.
We now use our Internet connection for everything from home entertainment and gaming to paying bills and even starting our cars! The rapid development of lifestyle changing applications now available through a steady flow of broadband data is indeed changing the world right before our eyes. One has to suspect that soon may be the day where all communications are based on Internet only, eliminating the need for legacy landline systems and cable/satellite television.
Is the world ready to cut the cords? As it is today, there’s still a high demand for traditional communications. In fact, careful consideration and research must be done before making the jump to an Internet only connection in the household or SMB. One thing to consider is the cost of the technology and the time involved with learning new systems. What is the available bandwidth at your location? Also, one must consider how many people might use it at the same time, and if there is enough speed to handle multiple devices, all using bandwidth intensive applications synchronously. Usage Based Billing and appropriate data plans are a growing concern, as most ISPs have adopted a metered usage model. Large-scale cell providers typically limit the amount of data or throttle the speed beyond a given threshold of data usage. This can be frustrating because the improvements on wireless transfer speeds have been impressive over the last four years, now competing with the wire line DSL and cable providers. A fast connection can lead to massive overage charges, especially when you consider that some providers will charge $10 to $15 per gigabyte used beyond the allotted data plan.
This is the dawn of a new era. There is little doubt that as time pushes on, Internet only models will become more attractive. We are just scratching the surface. The Internet only phenomenon is not an accident or a fad, it is the direct consequence of our insatiable need for speed and efficiency. Quite simply, it has evolved because it has inherent value that has yet to be fully harnessed. The evolution of mass communication has brought us to a time where one second of delay can cost tens of thousands of dollars, much more in some cases (if you don’t buy that, ask any day trader). What used to take the Pony Express weeks, if not months, to deliver is now done in milliseconds, and there is no sign of slowing down. Businesses need greater efficiency and use mobile applications with cloud-based CRMs to harvest leads, drive sales and enhance customer service. Content management systems have revolutionized the marketing game by utilizing browsing histories and key words to leverage search engines. Online entertainment providers like Netflix and Hulu are now creating their own quality programming, exclusive to their brand, and only accessible via their online channels. Social media has become a vast and seemingly essential avenue of communication, wherein people meet, purchase goods, exchange plans and crowdsource work/leisure ideas.
The Internet medium vastly exceeds the scope of any other media platform in terms of flexibility and content volume. As time has shown, all valuable modes of communication constantly evolve, so shall the Internet.
Can we go Internet only? We may not by there yet, but in a world driven by information, knowledge is power, and data is king. FBN
Michael Merrill is the Marketing Director for CommSpeed Wireless and has been heavily involved in the WISP (wireless ISP) industry for the last eight years. His family has been in the communications industry since the 50s. His grandfather was a cable pioneer that built out many systems across the U.S., including what is now Cox cable in Phoenix. He can be reached at 928-772-1111 or mikemerrill@commspeed.net