Obviously you didn't read my post about other countries deploying it EVERYWHERE within their own borders.
Your argument is that America is too BIG? That's an insane argument.
The real problem is that the carriers only deploy to tiny markets (i.e. 17 cities) and expect EVERYONE there to suddenly jump on an overpriced service.
Not going to happen.
And for your information, even FARMERS in the middle of nowhere use state-of-the-art closed computer systems for weather forecasting, news, and keeping up with the current markets, usually via satellite.
By the way, I'm currently in Kansas. In a county that had not one but TWO cities listed in the top twenty out of 100 best cities to live in. It's also one of the fastest growing population centers in the United States, and a central hub for shipping via air/ground/rail due to it's centralized location. The lowest job offer I've gotten here is for $70,000. There really isn't a "middle of nowhere" in Kansas anymore.
Even the damn tractors are computerized now and decked out with amenities once found only in mobile homes (cell phone charging stand, TV, sat radio, etc.).
So yeah, it's pretty ****ing stupid to insult the very-much-into-high-tech folks who help put food on your plate.
But everyone around here is still stuck with EDGE or EV-DO.
Another reason for the US falling behind the rest of the planet is due to the FCC bending under pressure by US carriers and handset manufacturers (looking at YOU Motorola!) to NOT use the standard GSM frequencies in use around the rest of hte world. Nooooo, the US has to go their "own" way and use different bands, giving the local manufacturers a leg up, pretty much bailing them out since they would have quickly gone out of business had Nokia/Samsung been able to bring to market just ONE version of every model instead of two - one for the US, the other for everyone else.