Historical Development

Questions for the article “Historical Development”

1.     Why is broadband service the key for the success of online communication? What are the social effects of broadband service? How does the broadband service make digital convergence possible?

Broadband service is the key for the success of online communication because it allows for a wider access to information that otherwise would be unavailable. Part of the innovation behind online communication is the fact that it is accessible to anyone with a broadband Internet connection. The social effects of broadband are that it creates a space for people to share content and interact with one another, in ways that were not possible before. This interaction allows for media convergence, as various forms of media can come together and adapt to the broadband Internet format.

2.     Why does the use of World Wide Web open the door of the Internet communication to a much wider audience? In what way does the Web with graphical web browsers move the online communication to “acoustic world” discussed in the pervious class?

                 The World Wide Web opens the door of the Internet communication to a much wider audience because, with the use of broadband, the Internet and content posted on it can be available to anyone, at any corner of the globe, as long as they have access to an Internet connection. The Web moves the online communication to the "acoustic world" because it provides a global communication system with total immersion and reliance on the senses.

3.     How might telecommunication change if the government supported the development of broadband Internet for everyone?

Telecommunications may begin to be subjected to even more government regulations and rules if they developed broadband Internet for everyone. Similar to the FCC's control over national airwaves in broadcasting, government Internet may be censored in some ways.

4.     News organizations were changed by the telegraph, and a whole new business of news, that of the wire services, was created because of the telegraph. Discuss other industries that could benefit from rapid dissemination of information and how and why they would benefit from it.

Another industry that could benefit from rapid dissemination of information would be Television, specifically advertising. If companies who wish to promote a certain number of their products rapidly distributed their information via various media outlets, they could certainly benefit from that.

5.     Choose one of the common methods of online communication and think of how it could be improved in terms of facilitating communication between people, ensuring quality communication, and enabling the greatest number of users to distribute information.



In terms of facilitating communication between people, the online method of communication can be improved perhaps in terms of availability. For example, it is impossible to access the Internet without wifi when using a laptop or regular desktop computer, yet cellphones can use data that gives access to the Internet without wifi. Perhaps online communication could be vastly improved if some sort of online communication could be accessed without having to be connected to a network or server.