This document discusses the need to rethink networks beyond just speed and bandwidth. It argues that fiber networks should enable improvements in quality of life, including education, healthcare, safety, and security. To truly enable these areas, networks need to provide access, utility, security, and privacy. Access requires sufficient bandwidth, symmetry, choice of providers, and connectivity within homes and businesses. Utility means using networks to make life and work better through tools like remote learning, telehealth, and smart home devices. However, these tools need security to protect privacy, health data, and conversations from being misused or accessed without permission. The goal is to build more open and autonomous networks that are not dependent on a few large companies and that put users

1. BEYOND SPEED
RETHINKING THE NETWORK
Andrew Cohill, Ph.D.
President/CEO
WideOpen Networks, Inc.

2. Speed is not enough
Not just speed
Symmetric bandwidth is
now absolutely critical
But speed and
bandwidth are just the
means to an end

3. Where are we going?
The Covid crisis has
revealed the deep weakness
of existing copper-based
networks
Designed for one way TV
and entertainment, these
legacy networks can’t
deliver what homes and
businesses need

4. Fiber is an enabler, but what
do we want to enable?
Our new fiber networks
should be improving our
quality of life
Personal quality of life
Professional/business quality of life
Improved access to education
opportunities
Improved access to healthcare
Improved safety and security
Improved energy use and
management

5. The Enablers
Access
Bandwidth—enough to do whatever is needed
Symmetry—equal upload and downloads
Choice of providers and services
Utility
K12 learning, office/remote work, telehealth
Personal cloud data storage, remote
Security
Secure management of energy, safety, home utilities
Privacy
Privacy of personal data, health data, no “listening”
to personal conversations

6. The Access Enabler
We need fiber or high performance
wireless to our residential and
business premises
We need access within the home and
business
WiFi
Bluetooth
Ethernet cabling
Choice of providers and services
We are re-creating 20th Century monopoly
business models
Reduce monopoly “own the customer”
networks
We need mobility access via our
smartphones, tablets, and other
portable devices

7. The Utility Enabler
Utility—>Making life easier and better
Making work better
At home
At the office
Making education better
Remote learning is creating an education
revolution, especially in higher ed—more
choices and lower costs
Personal assistants
Support independent living for the elderly and
improved safety
Simplify some household tasks
Telepresence
Richer personal interactions
Improved and less expensive healthcare

8. The Security Enabler
Personal security
911 buttons
Building security
Video doorbells
Intrusion monitoring
Fire alarms, water leak alarms
Internet of Things (IoT) lacks proper
security
Health security
Wireless sensors to detect health problems
Energy security
Green home energy management

9. The Privacy Enabler
We are too often “the product” for “free”
services (e.g. Facebook among others)
Our networks should support our privacy
Privacy of personal data (Google reads
everything in Google Docs and gmail)
Personal assistants like Alexa are always
listening and using our conversations to push
marketing to us
Our health data and health videoconferences
should be private (Zoom was sending
videoconference data to China)
We need encryption to keep our conversations
and data private (the government wants the
ability to decrypt all our data)
We need more use of blockchain technology

10. Digital Autonomy is the Goal

11. What Can Be Done?
Build open access networks
Migrate to social media that does
not view us as the product (Parler,
Gab, etc.)
Provide more funding for open
source tools
Open source relies too much on
volunteers
Fund research for open source
personal assistants
Insist on higher levels of security in
IoT products
stop
wishing.
start
doing.

12. For More Information:
Andrew Cohill
cohill@wideopennetworks.us
www.wideopennetworks.us
540-552-2150
WideOpen
Networks