We Need Our Internet Access Networks to Be Something They Are Not
The Covid-19 pandemic is shining a light on our dependence on the internet and the systemic problems with the dominant model for internet access. The wholesale emptying of schools, offices, air travel, sporting events, vacations and restaurants and the migration to virtual everything has made it obvious that we need our networks to be something they are not.
The gaps in network capacity, reliability and availability are a product of the structure of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) industry and a misalignment between the incentives and interests of the industry and the needs and interests of consumers.
As the internet emerged and moved from a science experiment to a commercial system, it was not obvious that this new global network would become a foundational system for society. The leaders of the Telephone and Cable TV industries recognized an opportunity and few people understood the magnitude of their first-mover advantage. By leveraging existing infrastructure and consolidating their respective industries, the now dominant telephone and cable companies took control of the on-ramp to the internet. These incumbent operators did not organize their strategy around building the most reliable networks or optimizing for customers' interests. Rather, they were organized to make a profit. This is not a…
