Japan becomes broadband paradise, but is the speed worth the cost?

The United States and European Union might be the largest economies, but when it comes to Internet connections at home, many of their citizens still live in the slow lane. By contrast, Japan is a broadband paradise, with the fastest and cheapest Internet connections in the world.

Nearly eight million Japanese have a state-of-the-art fiber-optic line at home that is up to 30 times speedier than a typical DSL line.

But while that speed is a boon for Japanese consumers, industry analysts and some companies here question whether the push to install fiber is worth the effort, given the high cost of installation, affordable alternatives and lack of services that take advantage of the fast connections.