Oh Woe, End Of The ‘Net is Nigh

[Please note that they say these things with absolutely no shame.]

From CNet: AT&T: Internet to hit full capacity by 2010

U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T has claimed that, without investment, the Internet’s current network architecture will reach the limits of its capacity by 2010.

Speaking at a Westminster eForum on Web 2.0 this week in London, Jim Cicconi, vice president of legislative affairs for AT&T, warned that the current systems that constitute the Internet will not be able to cope with the increasing amounts of video and user-generated content being uploaded.

“The surge in online content is at the center of the most dramatic changes affecting the Internet today,” he said. “In three years’ time, 20 typical households will generate more traffic than the entire Internet today.”

Note that Mr. Cicconi is “vice president of legislative affairs”, as in the office to stop Net Neutrality, because that’s what this is all about. Given the glacial pace at which broadband is becoming available in the US, thanks to the fact that The Phone Company and The Cable Company make it almost impossible for any outsider to enter the market, and, in fact, go to court if local governments, trying to improve the image and marketability of their jurisdiction, attempt anything as radical as free WiFi, in three years people will be happy if they can get their Windows updates in less than a week; the “20 typical households” claim is absurd on its face. The way the mortgage thing is playing out, those households will be in cardboard boxes, and the only ‘Net access will be at a library [if any are still open].

The “typical” broadband user feels thrilled if they have access at even 50% of the supposed bandwidth they are paying for, and there are too many areas where it’s dial-up or nothing. If The Phone Company and The Cable Company don’t want to have movies on their systems, they should just make that clear with their subscribers. Of course, they could also spend a little time and money getting rid of spam, but that’s probably too hard.