That dwarfs popular consumer-oriented Internet services, which offer news, entertainment and sales of products such as books and CDs. Some companies are already flocking to places where they can get affordable high-speed hookups. It's such a strong selling point that commercial real estate developers go to great lengths to ensure that their buildings are wired. Bankers, lawyers and dealmakers who need to edit and share documents with others use services such as Intralinks to collaborate online instead of overnighting packages of pages every time someone makes a revision. If he's selling grain or livestock online, and he misses the price, he's at a disadvantage.
Small retailers find they can boost sales by attracting orders on Web sites.
Again Sam, sold banjos to pickers in Nashville. And Osborn Drugs, in tiny Miami, Okla., took in orders from as far away as London and Tokyo. Government employees also see the Internet as a convenient new vehicle for circulating public documents and requests for proposals. As the Internet continues to grow, we're going to have to have high speed. Those who have broadband say it makes a world of difference.