Michael Powell underscores the important role cable has played in the development of broadband

At the opening session of The Cable Show 2013, Michael Powell, president & CEO of NCTA, underscored the important role cable has played in the development of broadband.“We wanted a faster internet and what we wanted was broadband. Cable heard the call and delivered on it. We created a cable modem where information doesn’t just flow, it surges. But our industry never stops; we are on a never-ending journey to delivering an experience for American consumers and businesses. Moving forward is always good, but it requires energy, effort and lots of money,” said Powell.He pointed out the cable industry has invested over US$200 million in development since the mid-1990’s. “Today’s cable caters to over 50 million broadband users. We’ve worked hard to reach almost everyone. We serve 93% of U.S. homes, and increased broadband speeds more than 1,500% in a decade,” added Powell.He said that thanks to its world-class broadband internet infrastructure, the U.S. is home to the best Internet companies.Powell indicated the U.S. is home to 316 million people and its topography is quite diverse. “Our challenges are varied,” he said, adding that 10 of the 15 fastest internet areas in the world are in the U.S. In 2009 the U.S. ranked 22nd in Internet speed and today it occupies 8th place. Internet speed has tripled in the last five years.Powell closed by saying that they still wanted more: “There is still a third of American who have access to broadband but are not online. We want to help them,” and went on to explain the different initiatives they have to accomplish this.