> This geography-based rent-seeking
don't forget about the actual rent, too.
how much of the housing cost problem is caused by a huge number of people needing wired broadband within X miles of a city center, competing with rich foreigners who want the exact same real estate?
imagine if middle class knowledge workers currently feeling the squeeze could realistically live 30+ miles out and telecommunicate most most/all of the time. not only would it revitalize the outskirts of some cities that need residents/activity, it would put a hedge on the insanely fast rise in the cost of housing near the city center.
or at least give working people an option to live further away, have a high standard of life (more space), and still be able to do their jobs without commuting 2-3 hours a day.
but maybe this is all anecdata: i have a tiny place (studio) in the city and i am completely uninterested in spending close to $1M to upgrade my conditions. however, i am willing to spend a considerable amount of money to either add a country home (best of both worlds), or move altogether. where prices are good, bandwidth sucks, and i can't realistically live there and run a business.
this is clearly an imbalance in the marketplace and i hope it gets addressed in the next 5 years.