Jump to content

Least technologically advanced major city


blockbuster

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 11
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Not long ago Boston's mayor made a big fuss about all the dead spots across the city for cell phone reception. And I think only one provider has service in the subway. For some reason I can't get DSL service at my address in Somerville, relatively deep inside the core of metro Boston. Cable internet, yes. DSL, no. Though there is Verizon Broadband Access wireless service for most of Eastern Mass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, I think my limited brain is grasping it now. By experience only through visits to that particular city, I would rank the worst followed by why.

1. Birmingham - Crummy roads/interstates. They were the bumpiest I've ever seen of any city and no real repairs being made. This was several years back so if they are repaired now, then that would bump them off this list.

2. Memphis - Plenty of southern charm but the inner city "looks" like something from the twenties. And yet, I think it is fantastic looking. Of course, considering Fedex is there, that kind of disclaims my claim.

3. Nashville - I love the city, I love the new skyscrapers but they GOT to get rid of those old overhead power lines all over the city. It really dates everything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pittsburgh could use some better roads (PennDOT is also screwing Philly on that), and there is a big seperation between some of the very advanced things going on with CMU and Pitt and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing center and the fact that the Subway is still spotty (if at all) for cell phones etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Um, I didn't think road quality had that much to do with being technologically advanced. I thought this was more about wifi, cell phones, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe, but a city's perception is a strong thing. I was just giving my perceptions based on limited experience. As far as Birmingham's roads, to me that says a lot about a city. You aren't going to attract as much new business which also includes new technology without adequate infrastructure. Those roads were the worst I've ever seen. Now if along with those roads, I had seen road crews working steady, then it wouldn't have been an issue. Keep in mind it was 1999 when I drove through there so the roads may be better now. They would have to be or the Wheel Allignment shops are getting a huge swell in business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Birmingham is a major biotech center, and their medical facilities are some of the best in the country. What do bad roads have to do with being more or less technologically advanced?

As for my opinion about the least technologically advanced city, I would have to say one of the Rust Belt cities, possibly Scranton-Wilkes Barre, PA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Most US cities actually... In terms of broadband and wireless access, the US is behind much of the rest of the industrialized world (and waaay behind places like South Korea). Some embarrassing things I can think of as personal examples off the top of my head...

- The NY subway system is only now taking bids for cell phone access...

- There's still a large swath of Eastern CT that has little to no cell phone reception (a friend of mine who lives there feels her cell phone is more decorative then anything else right now)

- When I lived in a part of the Upper East Side (a pretty tony area) of NYC during the late 90's, you could have any internet access you wanted as long as it was dial-up...

We've all collectively got a lot of work to still do...

- Garris

Providence, RI

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, I think my limited brain is grasping it now. By experience only through visits to that particular city, I would rank the worst followed by why.

1. Birmingham - Crummy roads/interstates. They were the bumpiest I've ever seen of any city and no real repairs being made. This was several years back so if they are repaired now, then that would bump them off this list.

2. Memphis - Plenty of southern charm but the inner city "looks" like something from the twenties. And yet, I think it is fantastic looking. Of course, considering Fedex is there, that kind of disclaims my claim.

3. Nashville - I love the city, I love the new skyscrapers but they GOT to get rid of those old overhead power lines all over the city. It really dates everything.

Fyi, asides from the all the technology behind the logistics industry, Memphis has one of the largest broadband networks, thanks to a bunch of providers that used Memphis as a test launching point (such as BellSouth, AT&T, MCI/Worldcom and Networx). Bell South has named Memphis its showcase city for innovative business communications, and made Memphis the first major U.S. city with widespread use of services such as Caller ID. Memphis also has one of the largest switching capacities of any city in the southeast, which may or may not be saying a lot.

There are also a number of IT facilities (Harrah's, Hilton, etc). According to a report by the Brandow Company, the city had the highest rate of high tech start-ups over the last three years among the nation's 60 largest metro areas. The city is already listed among the top 10 cities for high-tech jobs in the Southeast. Plus med tech (Medtronic-Sofamor Danek, St. Jude, Wright Medical, Buckman Labs, etc). Back to logistics, Memphis is one of the kings in the logistics world. And logistics runs on technology. Warehouses, carriers (FedEx, UPS, Swift transportation, 5 major rail lines, riverbarges, interstate delivery, etc), distribution lines, on-time and just-in-time deliveries. It may not appear to be so, but the technology is the "circulatory system" of the Memphis economy.

Of course, there's room to improve. Memphis has a lot of potential that has been untapped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.