I admit it; there are times when I have been shortsighted. While I try to keep an open mind about the upside potential of networking applications for socioeconomic advancement, I’ve had my share of moments where I’ve missed the obvious — by not seeing the full spectrum of opportunities for advancement.

Case in point: when I started to publish my research, thoughts and observations online I was myopically thinking that my market reach would most likely be limited to people within North America.

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Tags: global networked economy, IoE, mobile internet, MWC13, socioeconomic development

By Howard Baldwin, Contributing Columnist

The place with the best broadband ecosystem is not Silicon Valley or Route 128, the mainstays of technology companies in the United States. But that’s not surprising, given the popularity of e-commerce and cloud computing – it’s Washington State, home of Microsoft and Amazon.

That’s the determination of the TechNet 2012 State Broadband Index, which ranked all 50 states on various facets of their ICT-related infrastructure.

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Tags: broadband, ecosystem, global networked economy, infrastructure, leadership, policy, TechNet

I’m very upbeat, regarding the current outlook for the Global Networked Economy in 2013. In particular, I see a tremendous opportunity to further explore the many benefits of readily-available wireless access to the internet.

Numerous events occurred during the course of 2012 that indicate we’re getting closer to a mobile broadband nirvana scenario – whereby network deployment has a positive impact on economic growth and potentially results in a higher living standard for those that take advantage of this valuable resource.

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Tags: broadband, economic development, global networked economy, internet, service provider wi-fi

By Howard Baldwin, Contributing Columnist

It’s easy to find positive news about broadband. Around the globe, government studies show the link between broadband and economic benefit. On the Connected Life Exchange, more examples abound, including my recent posts Broadband: Exploring the Demographic Patterns and How Broadband Reduces Small Business Expenses.

But it’s also becoming easy to find backlash against broadband. It’s neither limited by source or geography. In some cases, politicians rail against its cost; in other cases, citizens rail against its benefits. Read More »

Tags: broadband, global networked economy, government, infrastructure, policy, technology

By Howard Baldwin, Contributing Columnist

Two reports issued recently  on global broadband adoption reveal a dim outlook for the United States when it comes to competitive parity. This is merely the latest assessment that raises the question — when will America attain parity within the key economic centers of the nation?

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Tags: broadband, competitiveness, education, global networked economy, public policy