Broadband and the U.S.: Slip Sliding Away

In America, we like to think of ourselves as part of the most technologically advanced nation on Earth. Or at least somewhere close to the top of the list. The truth is, as it relates to the penetration of broadband technology, we are ranked 15th in the world and we are sliding. But you can thank your lucky stars we don't live in Paraguay.

Why mention this now? Well, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration just published a report telling us that all is well. (Isn't that shocking from a Bush Administration department?) The folks at Ars Technica have done a nice job explaining why the report misses the point. Basically, our numbers of folks with broadband may be increasing, but they are not increasing as quickly as other countries and that can mean lost economic opportunities down the road.

An interesting sidebar to this conversation comes from The Economist, which examines the incredible growth of Internet use in China. It's a inside look at how the Chinese use the Internet differently than most other developed countries.