Lessons from the U.K.: U.S. needs to play 'catch-up'
Technophile
Jonathan Harrop
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Life & Style
What do I have to do to get from Fayetteville to Dallas? I either have to drive five hours and spend approximately $80 on petrol (your mileage might vary) or I can fly. Flying from NWA to Dallas takes almost as long as driving, with check-in times and all that. It's also a lot more expensive.
Although there are some states and cities with decent train or bus systems, or even underground tube systems, it's just nowhere close to what the U.S. could and should be. The U.S. has the technology and industry to do it. So where is it?
While I often write about the consumer electronics industry, it's difficult to explain just how much more informed everyone is in the U.K. They're experiencing a similar digital TV transition the U.S. is, and everyone knew about it and what they needed to do.
Even my aunt and uncle, who don't even have an Internet connection, knew.
Contrast this with the U.S., where I have to explain on a daily basis to people what it is and what it means for them, with an alarming increase in frequency as we get closer to the analogue TV shut off.
Compared to the level of awareness and general connectedness of the U.K., America looks absolutely pedestrian.
Blazing fast fiber-optic Internet (20-50mbps download, the average DSL or cable connection is 6-9mbs) is significantly more widespread in the U.K., having already been laid years ago.
The U.S. has so few fiber-optic networked houses that not only can one side of a street get it and the other can't, but it's a major techie news event when a new city gets fiber-optic.
Broadband is also much, much cheaper. For £12 a month ($24) I can get 8mpbs standard cable Internet. For about the same price, I can get fiber-optic if I'm in the area.
Some major metropolitan areas have free broadband. Although it's not exactly fast enough for gaming, it's available.
By contrast, I have to pay at least double that for my Cox Internet connection. But I've already covered that.
Things are so much greener as well. A Ford F-150 would be one of the least fuel-efficient cars on the road (and ungainly large to boot) if it were in the U.K. It's difficult to imagine how the U.S. can get to the same level as the U.K. in terms of car efficiency, but hybrid cars and computer-controlled recycling systems have a place in another column.
I'm writing this on an American Airlines flight, which is years behind the likes of Virgin and any Asian-based airline. But once again, that's another column. So, despite my misgivings about the U.S., I'm coming back and can't wait for the flight to be over.
There are a great number of things in the U.S. that I'm absolutely thrilled to come back to: cheap food, cheap fuel, free refills and good steaks.
Also, my X-Box, TV and car - all of which cost half what they cost in the U.K.
Jonathan Harrop is a staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.
Although there are some states and cities with decent train or bus systems, or even underground tube systems, it's just nowhere close to what the U.S. could and should be. The U.S. has the technology and industry to do it. So where is it?
While I often write about the consumer electronics industry, it's difficult to explain just how much more informed everyone is in the U.K. They're experiencing a similar digital TV transition the U.S. is, and everyone knew about it and what they needed to do.
Even my aunt and uncle, who don't even have an Internet connection, knew.
Contrast this with the U.S., where I have to explain on a daily basis to people what it is and what it means for them, with an alarming increase in frequency as we get closer to the analogue TV shut off.
Compared to the level of awareness and general connectedness of the U.K., America looks absolutely pedestrian.
Blazing fast fiber-optic Internet (20-50mbps download, the average DSL or cable connection is 6-9mbs) is significantly more widespread in the U.K., having already been laid years ago.
The U.S. has so few fiber-optic networked houses that not only can one side of a street get it and the other can't, but it's a major techie news event when a new city gets fiber-optic.
Broadband is also much, much cheaper. For £12 a month ($24) I can get 8mpbs standard cable Internet. For about the same price, I can get fiber-optic if I'm in the area.
Some major metropolitan areas have free broadband. Although it's not exactly fast enough for gaming, it's available.
By contrast, I have to pay at least double that for my Cox Internet connection. But I've already covered that.
Things are so much greener as well. A Ford F-150 would be one of the least fuel-efficient cars on the road (and ungainly large to boot) if it were in the U.K. It's difficult to imagine how the U.S. can get to the same level as the U.K. in terms of car efficiency, but hybrid cars and computer-controlled recycling systems have a place in another column.
I'm writing this on an American Airlines flight, which is years behind the likes of Virgin and any Asian-based airline. But once again, that's another column. So, despite my misgivings about the U.S., I'm coming back and can't wait for the flight to be over.
There are a great number of things in the U.S. that I'm absolutely thrilled to come back to: cheap food, cheap fuel, free refills and good steaks.
Also, my X-Box, TV and car - all of which cost half what they cost in the U.K.
Jonathan Harrop is a staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Trevor
posted 3/05/08 @ 3:35 AM CST
Why? It's partly because England (being larger in area than Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland combined) is the size of Arkansas, but with 1000 people per square mile instead of 50. (Continued…)
Bman
posted 3/05/08 @ 12:09 PM CST
Trevor has an obvious point that this author failed to either grasp or mention. The author's country side where internet access was not available is like 90% of Arkansas. (Continued…)
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