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Sprint Nextel has announced that it is going to announce (?) it will invest big-time in WiMax, a long-range Wi-Fi network technology.

WiMax could benefit consumers by providing a low-cost alternative to the high-speed Internet access being offered by the cable and telecom operators that dominate the market in a duopoly. Upstarts could use WiMax to break cheaply into incumbents' markets, offering lower prices and higher speeds. [More]

This could radically change the timetable for widespread affordable rural broadband. Having heavyweights like Intel and Sprint behind it, this technology looks to be a big boost for farmers and others in the country. The beauty of WiMax is the range - although much dispute occurs on this point:

Note that this should not be taken to mean that users 50 km (31 miles) away without line of sight will have connectivity. Practical limits from real world tests seem to be around 3-5 miles (5-8 km). The technology has been claimed to provide shared data rates up to 70 Mbit/s, which, according to WiMAX proponents, is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support more than 60 businesses with T1-type connectivity and well over a thousand homes at 1Mbit/s DSL-level connectivity. Real world tests, however, show practical maximum data rates between 500kbit/s and 2 Mbit/s, depending on conditions at a given site.^[2]

It is also anticipated that WiMAX will allow inter-penetration for broadband service provision of VoIP, video, and Internet access—simultaneously. Most cable and traditional telephone companies are closely examining or actively trial-testing the potential of WiMAX for "last mile" connectivity. This should result in better price-points for both home and business customers as competition results from the elimination of the "captive" customer bases both telephone and cable networks traditionally enjoyed. Even in areas without preexisting physical cable or telephone networks, WiMAX could allow access between anyone within range of each other. Home units the size of a paperback book that provide both phone and network connection points are already available and easy to install.[More great background info]

At the same time broadband over power lines (BPL) got official OK from the FCC - adding more players in the Internet services market - power companies. This technology also will allow the power company to read your meter and monitor usage (and maybe other stuff??) - sort of like a "Energy NSA" - how 21st Century is that?

The line here at the bottom: broadband should getter cheaper and better and more available soon.