Europe's Big Bandwidth Break

摘要

We're only four months into 1997, but WorldCom's recent announcement of plans to build a European fiber optic backbone network could be the big event of the year. After years of threats, false promises, and setbacks, the scandal of extortionate European bandwidth pricing may at last be coming to an end. But not before its time. Look at how the European market stacks up today: A T1 (1.544-Mbit/s) line leased from WorldCom between Chicago and New York (723 miles) now costs about $4,500 a month. A cross-border E1 (2.048-Mbit/s) circuit between Paris and Rome (689 miles) costs a cool $67,000.