Maybe speed isn’t everything when it comes to connectivity

Speed is but one thread in the tapestry of connectivity and user experience. To address bandwidth-constrained households, some ISPs and vendors are exploring alternative routes to enhance network performance. Traffic prioritization tools within the home, for instance, offer a potential solution for the bandwidth-constrained. The key to driving user adoption of tools like this is to make the interface easy to use, and automate where possible. Speed has become “less relevant,”  said OpenVault CEO Mark Trudeau, now that the industry has reached multi-gig levels. Operators have done a good job of upgrading their networks to the point where they've got head room for “many, many years ahead,” and they don't really need to keep increasing speeds at the rate that they have been. That said, he also cautioned we exactly don't know when the "next killer app" is going to come out and raise bandwidth needs. None of this is to say bandwidth isn’t still important. And OpenVault represents a lot of cable operators, which sometimes tend to downplay bandwidth speeds.