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that screams for a need for multi- gig, ultra-fast networks. That time certainly will come, but even future bandwidth-intense applications such as holograms for communications, 360-degree VR, and 8K and 3D video are several years away from mass availability, ITIF argued, and the current rate of network capacity expansion is on pace to accommo- date them. In the meantime, current bandwidth levels of 1 gigabit and under are sufficient for streaming at resolutions and refresh rates that approach the maximum humans can perceive and are adequate to reach the productivity and economic benefits broadband has become known to provide. “[W]hen it comes to mass-market broadband service, super-fast speeds enabled by fiber are at best about unlocking new levels of quality at the bleeding edge of the entertainment market (e.g., 8K resolution) rather than any breakthroughs in new applications or improvements in existing functional- ity,” said the advocacy group. If we were to see a boost in demand for ultra-fast bandwidth, the recent lockdowns that led to increased reliance on video communications and digital interactions and entertain- ment created a ripe scenario for it to happen. And according to OpenVault’s analysis of broadband network usage, the U.S. did see a “massive surge of bandwidth usage” due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. OpenVault research- ers expect bandwidth usage trends to remain at “a new normal that still exceeds pre-pandemic levels,” but the COVID-related surge “has settled a bit,” with the return of “relatively flat growth across all usage categories.” OpenVault analysts, rather, are bullish on the immediate ARPU growth opportunities of pushing the 30 percent of “power users” that subscribe to lower broadband tiers into higher-tier packages. Of course, when discussing the country’s future need for bandwidth, some consideration must be given to the chicken-and-egg conundrum. In short, are ultra-fast, multi-gig networks necessary to the development of future, high-bandwidth applications and innovations? Or can we trust that the build out of multi-gig fiber networks will keep pace as ultra-high-bandwidth services move from the bleeding edge toward mainstream adoption? The recent explosion in mobile services adoption, as well as mobile and social commerce, would suggest a robust broadband network leads to invention, innovation, and adoption. On the other hand, major mobility-oriented brands including Twitter (2006), Insta- gram (2010), Snapchat (2011), and Uber (2009) all were founded before 4G LTE networks – arguably the first version of wireless “broadband – were widely deployed in the U.S. by around 2013. In the end, it’s quite possible we have two stories unfolding at the same time. On one side, there is the undeniable need for the build-out of fiber-based, multi-gig networks the will meet the needs of future generations, while at the same time, we could be experiencing a temporary lull in consumers’ willingness to pay for higher and higher speeds. “Even if it is simply to serve human impatience for large file transfers, more bandwidth is better than less,” said ITIF researchers, “just not at any cost.” o CHANNEL V ISION | January - February, 2021 Zettabytes Bandwidth requirements for common technology, in Mbps Source: ITIF 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Zoom Skype HD Video YouTube 720p You Tube 1080p YouTube 4k Netflix HD Netflix 4k Xbox gaming U.S. Speedtest Average Provisioned U.S. Broadband Speeds, 3Q20 Source: OpenVault Broadband Index >10 Mbps 5.81% 1 Gbps 5.63% 500-900 Mbps 5.24% 200-400 Mbps 14.06% 1 Gbps 500-900 Mbps 200-400 Mbps 100-200 Mbps 50-75 Mbps 20-40 Mbps 10-20 Mbps <10 Mbps 100-200 Mbps 36.37% 10-20 Mbps 19.89% 10-20 Mbps 9.42% 10-20 Mbps 3.59% Bandwidth requirements for common technology, in Mbps Source: ITIF 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Zoom Skype HD Video YouTube 720p You Tube 1080p YouTube 4k Netflix HD Netflix 4k Xbox gaming U.S. Speedtest Average Provisioned U.S. Broadband Speeds, 3Q20 Source: OpenVault Broadband Index >10 Mbps 5.81% 1 Gbps 5.63% 500-900 Mbps 5.24% 200-400 Mbps 14.06% 1 Gbps 500-900 Mbps 200-400 Mbps 100-200 Mbps 50-75 Mbps 20-40 Mbps 10-20 Mbps <10 Mbps 100-200 Mbps 36.37% 10-20 Mbps 19.89% 10-20 Mbps 9.42% 10-20 Mbps 3.59% 28