China’s Fiber Broadband Internet Approaches Nationwide Coverage; United States Lags Severely Behind from r/technology

China’s Fiber Broadband Internet Approaches Nationwide Coverage; United States Lags Severely Behind 

In 2013, 17 percent of consumers in both China and the U.S. had access to a fiber internet connection. Fast forward to 2019, China’s penetration has jumped to 86 percent while the U.S. is only at 25 percent.

Despite the constant posturing and discussion about the importance of fiber, the U.S. has not been effective at deploying a nationwide fiber optical network. Why is this?

LACK OF PRIVATE COMPETITION

INADEQUATE BROADBAND MAPPING

INEFFICIENT NATIONAL FUNDING PROGRAMS

ABSENCE OF COMMON SENSE STATE-LEVEL INFRASTRUCTURE POLICIES

Unlike America, virtually all of the access points that make up the internet “backbone” in China are state-owned, with private providers only able to lease out bandwidth from the government. The communist government’s plans extend beyond its own borders as well; the Belt and Road Initiative includes plans for direct investment in infrastructure spanning nearly 70 different countries, potentially giving China a vice grip on internet innovation if left unchecked by the West.

CHINA LEADS IN 5G DEPLOYMENT AS WELL

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more on broadband in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=broadband