The prediction, in brief:

Because so many people will find the combination of rural lifestyle and urban information attractive, network companies will have an incentive to run fiber-optic lines to high-income remote areas. It is likely that some states, or communities, or even private real estate developers will promote their areas by providing great connectivity. This will lead to what one might call the “Aspen-ization” of parts of the the country. Interesting rural communities will high marks for quality of life will deliberately set out to attract a new class of sophisticated urban citizen. Taken as a whole, urban areas will tend to get their connections before rural ones.

Predictor: Gates, Bill

Prediction, in context:

In his 1995 book “The Road Ahead,” Microsoft CEO Bill Gates writes:”Because so many people will find the combination of rural lifestyle and urban information attractive, network companies will have an incentive to run fiber-optic lines to high-income remote areas. It is likely that some states, or communities, or even private real estate developers will promote their areas by providing great connectivity. This will lead to what one might call the ‘Aspen-ization’ of parts of the the country. Interesting rural communities will high marks for quality of life will deliberately set out to attract a new class of sophisticated urban citizen. Taken as a whole, urban areas will tend to get their connections before rural ones.”

Biography:

Bill Gates, the most influential technology entrepreneur of the late 20th century, was the primary author of the prediction-packed 1995 book “The Road Ahead” and is the founder and CEO of Microsoft Corporation. (Entrepreneur/Business Leader.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure

Subtopic: Pipeline/Switching/Hardware

Name of publication: The Road Ahead (book)

Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter 12: Critical Issues

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 261

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne