Students are able to gain access to educational materials despite their geographical location. The reason for this looming deficit is the onslaught of data traffic on the network. Local telephone companies calculate that by the year 2000, they will be carrying as much Internet data as voice traffic. In some areas of the country, this is already the case. The first step in alleviating this congestion is to understand the fundamental different between data traffic and voice traffic.
Data also changes the nature of usage.
The average telephone call is 4 to 5 minutes. Significant investment is necessary to overcome this bandwidth deficit. The deployment of advanced network capabilities was a significant goal and promise of the 1996 Act. I question whether this promise is being fulfilled, despite the overwhelming demand for these services. Today the Subcommittee will hear from witnesses who will testify as to the phenomenal advances being made in the field of broadband media.