One billion now in the connected world, with US growth stagnant

The Internets user count just reached a billion, with most of them outside of North America.  This milestone is only the tip of the iceberg as there are billions and billions more eager to join  the connected world.

In December, the total global Internet audience surpassed one billion users, according to Internet traffic measurement firm comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR). In a new report, the research firm said that the Asia-Pacific region continues to claim the lion’s share, accounting for 41 percent of Internet users worldwide — about 416 million. (Internet News)

As the number of participants in the connected world grows, so does the capacity in most of the developed world, with one glaring exception - North America. Opening our market to competition and opening more spectrum for unlicensed service the would accelerate the construction of new capacity, and create lots of  permanent, high paying jobs. Added capacity would open new markets for the exploding rich media business, and create more high paying jobs. Big pipes would open more high paying jobs to the best candidate, not the best one within commuting range to an office. Unfortunately our newly elected federal government is obsessed with passing a $6 billion pork bill under the guise of broadband, protecting an  incumbent duopoly, connecting people who could care less and creating low paying make work jobs.