Books
Abstract
The growth of the Internet has been propelled in large part by user investments in infrastructure, including computers, internal wiring, and connections to Internet service providers. This "bottom-up" approach has minimized the investment burden on those who provide Internet services. Now, however, as new technologies allow and new applications demand higher-bandwidth connections, the source of investment for "the last 100 feet" of connectivity from the Internet service provider to individual homes and businesses becomes a significant issue.
Recasting "the problem of the last 100 feet" as "opportunities for the first 100 feet," this book challenges individuals, businesses, and policymakers to rethink fundamental issues in telecommunications policy. The contributors explore market issues associated with bottom-up infrastructure development and market demand, look at a variety of models for bottom-up investment in the first 100 feet (focusing on new technical opportunities such as spread spectrum wireless, satellites, and the use of electric power networks), and describe the challenges facing nontraditional providers of telecommunications services such as cities and utilities.
