Will “Fibre City” change the internet?

Recently in the news, it was revealed that H20 networks are planning on deploying an entirely fibre optic-based network to Dundee in Scotland which, if plans go ahead, will mean that 55,000 households in Dundee will have access to an all-fibre network offering speeds in excess of 100Mbps. With networks like H20 in Dundee, and H20’s sewer-based networks in Bath and Aberdeen, is the way we think of the internet going to change?

Other companies like H20, such as Geo, offer fibre connections in London with capacities between 1Gbps and 10Gbps. Does this mean will we have to re-think what content we deliver over the internet?

A 100Mbps connection could, theoretically, delivery an entire music CD (750Mb) in one minute or an entire DVD in under seven minutes and even a HD movie in under 10 minutes. Should the web community be looking to make more use of the high speeds that will be achievable in the foreseeable future, or should we be remembering that the reason these improvements are needed are due to already-saturated networks?

The global technology community is still undecided, but if we are not careful, in just a few years the speeds that the networks will offer will become a requirement for the internet, rather than a luxury.