The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published the organization's biannual Communications Outlook report, which in 320 pages tries to give countries and regulators advice on how to maximize their broadband fortunes based on the organization's treasure trove of collected broadband data. There's plenty of warnings packed in here, such as the fact that open access still provides nation's with the best competitive impact, and that the migration to IPv6 still isn't happening quickly enough.
Though the report also sends out the warning that those insisting that wireless is a good substitute for wireline services are quite simply wrong:
quote:
Limited spectrum and the increasing demand for data services mean that mobile networks will strive to offload traffic to fixed networks. Policy makers and regulators need to ensure enough supply to maintain sufficient backhaul for wireless networks, especially if there is insufficient fixed access network competition.
...The challenge for regulators is that, regardless of the technology used, many parts of the OECD look likely to face monopolies or duopolies for fixed networks. Wireless can provide competition, but spectrum availability will always impose limits that are not a constraint for fibre."
That's something that should especially be noted by those swayed by AT&T and Verizon's argument that capped, expensive LTE is just as good as the uncapped DSL lines (and POTS) they're eagerly looking to unplug. Verizon isn't waiting, the company's treatment of Sandy victims clearly illustrates their belief that they can just let DSL lines rot and that capped LTE is simply good enough. It isn't.
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