Can Fiber Create Jobs?
01/28/2009 07:51
As the industry and government move closer to resolution on where, how and with what conditions broadband will play a role in the nation’s economic stimulus programs, every sector of the industry is angling for attention to get its proposed approach. The FTTH Council’s approach couldn’t be more direct: Building fiber networks creates new jobs. The council recently commissioned a study conducted by the consulting firm Empiris that projects just that: enacting tax incentives that would spur the creation of fiber all the way to the premises would generate more than 200,000 direct jobs in each of the next three years, and increase output by more than $100 billion. The intent of the study is clear, but its projections raise a compelling question for all the network operators grappling with how to create new revenue opportunities and draw new customers, how to identify cost-saving measures in their networks, and how to spend in ways that best prepare them for the future. All of these are issues the staff of SUPERCOMM is evaluating as we compile the conference program and speaker lineup for our June event, and all of these are issues that will be covered in our program. We welcome your feedback, ideas and questions here or at jmeyers@supercommshow.com. Jason Meyers is director of conferences for SUPERCOMM. He has 15 years of business-to-business media experience, most recently as managing director of Penton Custom Media, where he was responsible for overseeing content development, research operations and global content licensing for Penton Media brands across a wide range of industry sectors. Prior to joining Penton’s custom media group, he was director of content development for Penton's Telephony magazine. Meyers was editor-in-chief of Telephony and Wireless Review from 1999 to 2006. He joined the staff of Telephony in 1993 as an assistant editor and covered all aspects of the telecom industry in a variety of editorial positions.
User Comments !
I don't know. They've been saying for a while that the expansion of broadband will create jobs. I'm not so sure. Yeah, a few jobs will be added such as network admins, sys admin, etc. but it won't be the explosion that the current administration is saying.
Posted by: Rick | March 27 2009 09:24:52
Fiber networks might create new jobs, but it is an incredibly ineffeicent and expensive way to provide broadband. Satiliates would cost a one tenth of a fibre network, they could be up and running within one year (opposed to 5+ years for fibre), and provide 100% coverage for the country. If I were in power I know which one I would be pushing for.
Posted by: John Gout | March 31 2009 19:06:52
I really don't think this can solve things about unemployment yet it can provide new jobs but not enough.
Posted by: nicole | April 23 2009 20:21:38
Consumer goods companies are down, so are steel producing, car making and other industries are down. I don't know what good broadband is going to do to them. I strongly believe that if they are not back up real good nothing good is going to happen as they are the backbone of economies.
Posted by: Anirban @ The Content Writers Club | April 26 2009 03:55:50
This may those unemployed but not totally. It can perhaps gives job to some but still it's not enough to resolve the issue of unemployment
Posted by: amedapumps | May 02 2009 02:40:03
Thanks for sharing this well articulated article. However, this IT field is already saturated, so I doubt about solving the unemployment problem in a great chunk by only fibre. Certainly it can work with this current worldwide problem but that can be a very little percentage. And furthermore it will create the job opportunity only on the developed countries. Poor nation would not be benefitted much from this fibre stuff.
Posted by: Marsha12 | May 28 2009 22:13:58
Its great to hear that there were still companies that offers new jobs despite these economic crisis
Posted by: Maria | May 29 2009 08:05:42
Fiber networks might create new jobs, but it is an incredibly ineffeicent and expensive way to provide broadband. Satiliates would cost a one tenth of a fibre network, they could be up and running within one year (opposed to 5+ years for fibre), and provide 100% coverage for the country. If I were in power I know which one I would be pushing for.
Posted by: Rock Star | June 09 2009 11:26:54
Not sure what I think about this. I tend to be quite pessimistic, and I am this time as well; I really dont see HOW you can create new jobs just by expanding broadband, because the user must be able to use a computer in any case. It really doesnt matter if you expand broadband in some small mountain city, because most of the people there dont know how to use it anyway..
Posted by: kredittkort | October 08 2009 09:49:51
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