This year saw serious lobbying campaigns and mudslinging surrounding the issue of so-called cable open access, a controversial issue that may not see resolution soon. Despite such progress, a litany of problems continues to plague broadband companies. Users have dealt with poor customer service, prohibitive costs, occasional outages and limited availability in all but the nation's largest cities. In the next year I think that the picture, while it's not pretty, will remain unchanged. There will continue to be tremendous pent-up demand.
Analysts say there are a number of challenges ahead for broadband providers.
Many are still in the middle of costly network upgrades, required for some cable networks to handle high-speed Net data. Others are still struggling with pricing as they look to gear their services for mass-market consumers. Analysts agree that firms need to offer more services before the average Net user will be willing to pay the premium for high-speed Net access. Meanwhile, analysts expect to see more examples of new broadband-specific services offered next year. These players are finally realizing that high-speed and 'always on' doesn't necessarily sell themselves, but you need to convey a compelling broadband experience.