BROADBAND NATION

In the May 17 issue of Telephony, we talked to notables from throughout the telecom industry to explore the hot-button issue of broadband. Operating under the near-universal belief that high-speed Internet access (broadband, in its broadest sense) represents telecom's future, our subjects expounded on broadband's failure to achieve mass consumer acceptance, the obstacles facing widespread deployment and the impact of broadband on our nation's commercial and cultural foundations.

The essential question at the heart of the discussion was deceptively simple: When will American business and residential customers make the leap to high-speed? The answer is that it's already happening. People are embracing broadband. Their numbers are relatively few, but already broadband has profoundly affected the lives of many, creating jobs, promoting education and strengthening cultural bonds. In some cases, it's literally saving lives.

But then, the intrinsic value of broadband has never been in question. The problem is translating that value in an American economy crippled by the fallout of the dotcom bust. Too many Americans still view the Web as a medium for little more than e-mail. And with purse strings so tight, high-speed Internet is a luxury many consumers cannot afford.

The challenge facing service providers is convincing their customers that even in tough times, broadband is a truly essential component of their professional, social and personal lives. The proof lies in the following special report, where you'll meet the human faces of the broadband nation. The people who make up these stories have transformed the promise of broadband into something real — high-speed access has changed their lives. They are the true believers.

Collectively, these stories answer the broadband riddle. The people featured on these pages have exploited broadband's value in ways even the industry's brightest minds never considered. They've held up their end of the bargain. The responsibility now falls on the industry at large to convince all consumers of what a precious few already understand.

(Stories are listed online separately under the June 3, 2002, issue. For more exclusive interviews not found in this issue, please read " Why high-speed access is going nowhere fast (and other ironies of the broadband economy" and " High-speed access, continued.")