Orange have 2 million internet subscribers, one million of which use the company's broadband service. 10% of its broadband users are on an LLU network.

BBC: NEWS | Technology | Orange broadband hit by outages

Verizon claims that laptop users on its 4G mobile broadband network will experience connectivity that's up to 10 times faster than the company's current 3G network.

CNN: Verizon launching speedier 4G network Sunday

The problem for broadband users is that relatively few homes have the home network needed to connect both a PC and a handful of other devices to a single cable modem or digital subscriber line.

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Broadband providers haven't wanted to give users access to the geography of their network--a move that could reveal elements of their business to competitors.

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The solution: For a few billion dollars, Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) could get into the phone business itself, buying the spectrum it needs to offer not just voice service for all those iPhone users, but to build the broadband wireless links it needs to offer next generation, network-centric computing, communications and entertainment.

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