The Internet has become an invaluable tool for most of society, and there’s little doubt it’s here to stay. Year after year, telecommunications companies continue to debut products that top last year’s models, further increasing people’s dependence on the Internet.

When high speed Internet first hit the world, many people wondered why they needed to upgrade their systems. After all, dial-up connected them to the same network as high speed Internet. Plus, it cost less. But, slowly, people began to see the value of faster connection speeds.

People who sat in front of their computers for twenty minutes waiting for a photo to download soon began drumming their fingers on the desk and grumbling about how long the process was taking. Now, the U.S. considers an area underserved if high speed Internet isn’t an option.

For live video streaming, downloading large documents, opening large files, or using a computer for high-resolution graphics, high speed Internet is handy. However, computers have also matched paced with the Internet to be able to improve the entire online experience. But one may wonder whether there will come a time when connection speeds exceed the capability of computers.

You may wonder how this could happen. Consider high definition TVs. Networks spent large sums of money to convert to a recording system that would provide viewers with a better experience by offering clearer images. People with hi-def TVs get the most benefit out of the new programming. But what about people without these more expensive TVs and programming packages? They still get the network, just not the added benefit of the increased quality.

Could the same thing happen with computers and mobile devices? Will there come a point in time when higher speeds no longer translate into tangible differences because computers no longer keep pace? So far, the computer industry is working hard to keep up, but one day soon, the telecommunications industry may just have to lend them a hand.