| As internet service providers race to offer | | | | bandwidth for your money, these caps will go up |
| comsumers faster speeds, a new area of | | | | rapidly. Companies that sell hardware to internet |
| competition is underway. At first, there was a race | | | | service providers will have to lower their prices as |
| to provide internet service at the fastest possible | | | | well. This is of course simply how the market works. |
| speed. Recently, however the speed race has | | | | With all of the various ways to transfer data, there |
| outstriped the abilities of consumers' hardware. This | | | | must be a huge focus on quality. For the consumer |
| has created a new variable for internet service | | | | who likes to view high quality videos, this will mean a |
| providers. The bandwidth cap is rapidly becoming the | | | | dramatic improvement on the current online |
| new battlegrounds over which companies will | | | | experience. High quality content leads to higher |
| compete. | | | | bandwidth demands. |
| There are cost limitations on the amount of | | | | Bandwidth limits will also have an affect on the quality |
| bandwidth a consumer may use in a month. While | | | | of content produced. For example, most current |
| users may sometimes feel that there is a global | | | | media files are compressed to meet bandwidth |
| conspiracy preventing them from getting the | | | | limitations. If it's possible to transfer more data at |
| bandwidth they want at a reasonable price, there are | | | | faster speeds, these limitations would disappear. This |
| massive hardware costs involved in getting data to | | | | may result in new advancements in music recording |
| your computer at any reasonable speed. However, | | | | software. Why not increase the size of music files if |
| prices are generally determined by the amount a | | | | they can be transferred very quickly? It's the same |
| consumer is willing to spend on a product. As it | | | | for video files and any other content that people |
| stands, the costs offered by most internet service | | | | may attempt to share online. If a content provider |
| providers are satisfactory. However, one change in | | | | can deliver bigger files, then movie files would be |
| consumer behavior looms on the horizon. This | | | | available in increased quality. Over time this will allow |
| inevitability threatens to annihilate the present | | | | for serious growth in the quality of audio and video |
| comfortable foundation on which service providers | | | | files. |
| build their business models. The normal consumer will | | | | Online games will participate in this expansion as well. |
| in the near future want to watch high definition | | | | As data transfer rates go through the roof, you can |
| television content on their PC. This will spell the end | | | | expect game developers to take full advantage of |
| of television as we know it. | | | | the extra bandwidth. Online games may never tie up |
| While cable companies undoubtedly have an interest | | | | as much bandwidth as streaming video or music, but |
| in forestalling the inevitable by limiting monthly | | | | it would be a mistake to ignore the demands of the |
| bandwidth, they will be unable to force this price | | | | online gaming market. |
| control on the market forever. Wireless internet is | | | | There is an exciting future for online content. While |
| being made available nearly everywhere at lightning | | | | many may whine about the current bandwidth caps, |
| fast speeds. This will make it nearly impossible for | | | | the future holds an all out race between providers to |
| this media transition to be prevented by any | | | | deliver the best value for the money. In the end, this |
| corporate interest. | | | | will be a win for the fans of high quality online |
| This is wonderful news for the consumer. As | | | | content. |
| companies start to advertise that you get more | | | | |