Idaho’s got them Internets, but they are SLOW

As the Governor gets ready to convene his business summit (which doesn’t include a panel on infrastructure, i.e., broadband, communications infrastructure, etc.) what jumps up and bites Idaho in the keister but the latest report on global Internet connection speeds from the Communication Workers of America. The news isn’t great.

The United States ranks 28th in the world in Internet connection speeds behind countries such as South Korea, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. At current technology adoption rates it would take the United States 15 years to get to where South Korea is today. This is important because many promised technologies such as the transmission and storage of medical records, and patient monitoring - seen as key components in reducing health care costs - are impossible in the United States. In Idaho the news is even worse.

Internet connection speeds in Idaho are half the U.S. national average, which as described is already appallingly slow. Measured against the other states, Idaho ranks 49th in download speeds, and 48th in upload speeds.

As mentioned at the outset, the only panelist invited to the Governor’s upcoming Business Summit that is even remotely qualified to talk about such issues is Qwest Idaho President Jim Schmit. However, Schmit is slated to sit on the “Commercial Services” panel with a bunch of bankers.

So much for taking the Internets seriously.