 Duramax08Win8 sucksPremium
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX
 ·Millenicom
·Cricket Broadband
| Lack of competition in broadband, Get out of here! There is competition IF you want it. Here is options for some people.
-Top Picks-
Cable, probably one ISP
DSL, probably one ISP
Fiber (if possible), probably one ISP
-The other ones-
Satellite, Hughes and Wild Blue
3G Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, sprint
4G Wireless, Sprint, Clear
Other wireless, Like mom and pop shops
Most people would pick from the top if possible. If you cant get any of those, theres always wireless. Some people might not like it due to its wireless, not always reliable, and high latency but hey, its broadband. Faster then dial up 
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In reviewing your account, I see that DSL Basic service should be available at your address. However, you are at the very edge of DSL availability. You must be within 15 Kft of our equipment in order to subscribe to DSL service. You are at 14.920 Kft. |
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1 edit | Oh good, we're using old FCC logic. So many people will be glad to know they secretly have the choice of 7-8 ISPs.
3G and 4G aren't real home choices as the industry is moving toward incredibly low and punitive caps.
Meanwhile, Hughes and Wild Blue are to broadband as Lindsay Lohan is to acting.
Most people have the choice of overpriced DSL or overpriced cable -- and that's if they're lucky. |
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Duramax08Win8 sucksPremium
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX | They might be some sucky ISP's mostly known for their caps but its better then nothing I guess and people do have a choice, well a limited choice. But dont get me wrong, I would love to have a landline anyday and get rid of my wireless. |
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| reply to Duramax08
Just because you may have alternative choices does not mean competition and you showed us the prime example there. |
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Duramax08Win8 sucksPremium
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX Reviews:
·Millenicom
·Cricket Broadband
| said by Skippy25:Just because you may have alternative choices does not mean competition and you showed us the prime example there. I hear ya. Thought Id just throw that info out there. |
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| reply to Duramax08
If ISP's were equal in service (and they're not), then you can pull out the choices act. 1.54 Mbps DSL is not the same as 12 Mbps Cable... If they were equal in service & price, then you can say there's options... |
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| but how? How would you add competition?
Force the telcos to share their already too slow copper?
Force the cablecos to share their bandwidth constrained network?
federal overbuild of fiber with our bankrupt government?
Doc |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | Good question. A lot of people like to banter about lack of competition, but most fail to bring viable solutions to the table. |
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 LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | reply to Duramax08
Re: Lack of competition in broadband, Get out of here! Ultimately Levin decided to spend more time using the plan to focusing on digital literacy than competition -- but the problem is that without tackling competition, improving literacy means nothing if users can't afford the service.
If it comes down to AFFORDING the service, there are better things the Feds can be doing with their billions of dollars. Like making sure that more, higher paying jobs stay in the U.S. instead by enforcing WTO rules with Asian countries like China & India. And making sure the tax code doesn't reward companies sending jobs overseas. I'd prefer the billions be spent enforcing our existing trade laws instead of ignoring them. |
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| reply to Karl Bode
actually, if you're lucky you have a choice of overpriced fiber  |
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| reply to FredIsDead
Re: but how? Could do what Maine is doing by laying down middle-mile fiber in a huge ring inside the state. Or the several other muni-built fiber networks. Take avantage of the funding to buildout a fiber network within a city/state and then lease it to ISPs, ISPs that would normally have to pay exorborant amounts of money to lease a line from AT&T/Verizon/Comcast/etc...
This in theory and in practice has been noted to work fairly well and is cheaper than the so called competition that was controlling things before. The only downside is having to fight with those incumbents to build the network for the citizens. Maine had to deal with Fairpoint (after they bought out Verizons network), Wilson, NC had to fight tooth and nail against AT&T/Time Warner Cable, the same Chattanooga, TN, and with a few other cities in various other states in which plans eventually went forward to buildout and give the people what they wanted. |
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fg8578
join:2009-04-26
Salem, OR | reply to Karl Bode
Re: Lack of competition in broadband, Get out of here! So the answer is to demand that telcos and cablecos invest all the money while letting their competitors share in the rewards?
Wow, Title II much? |
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Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| reply to openbox9
Re: but how? said by openbox9:Good question. A lot of people like to banter about lack of competition, but most fail to bring viable solutions to the table. Just eliminate all regulation. THAT WILL FIX IT!
DERP! |
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 coldmoonPremium
join:2002-02-04
Broadway, NC
 ·Windstream
| reply to Linklist
Re: Lack of competition in broadband, Get out of here! said by Linklist:Ultimately Levin decided to spend more time using the plan to focusing on digital literacy than competition -- but the problem is that without tackling competition, improving literacy means nothing if users can't afford the service.
If it comes down to AFFORDING the service, there are better things the Feds can be doing with their billions of dollars. Like making sure that more, higher paying jobs stay in the U.S. instead by enforcing WTO rules with Asian countries like China & India. And making sure the tax code doesn't reward companies sending jobs overseas. I'd prefer the billions be spent enforcing our existing trade laws instead of ignoring them. If you really want to see more jobs created and the economy start moving again, you need to deal with the infrastructure. In the 50's it was the Interstate Highway system; in the 21st century it is the Information Highway. Those countries you protest against in your reply are spending the money to improve theirs. So the real question you need to ask yourself is whether you really want the US to lead or become the new third world swamp it is turning into...
JMHO
Mike
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Returnil - 21st Century body armor for your PC |
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| reply to Angrychair
Re: but how? said by Angrychair:said by openbox9:Good question. A lot of people like to banter about lack of competition, but most fail to bring viable solutions to the table. Just eliminate all regulation. THAT WILL FIX IT! DERP! You were kidding, right? |
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 Camelot OnePremium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Greenwood, IN
kudos:1 | reply to nasadude
Re: Lack of competition in broadband, Get out of here! said by nasadude:actually, if you're lucky you have a choice of overpriced fiber I haven't found fiber to be over priced at all. |
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| reply to fg8578
said by fg8578:So the answer is to demand that telcos and cablecos invest all the money while letting their competitors share in the rewards? Wow, Title II much? The rewards of what? Collecting monopoly rent on infrastructure partly subsidized by the public? Right of ways, tax breaks, a police force that prevents violent retaliation, a court of law that enables the telcos to crush viable competitors- these are all freebies given to corporations.
No corporation has a right to profit, and if Title II makes it easier for competitors to make a profit and build their own network (like Free.fr in France), ultimately lowering prices and benefiting consumers, then it's obvious Title II needs to be enacted. |
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| reply to FredIsDead
Re: but how? Share the copper, ala Title II.
Our government isn't bankrupt, nor is it even close. A federal overbuild of fiber would provide annual revenue to the government. |
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fg8578
join:2009-04-26
Salem, OR | reply to sonicmerlin
Re: Lack of competition in broadband, Get out of here! If you think right of way is free, that makes the rest of your comments suspect. |
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| reply to FredIsDead
Re: but how? said by FredIsDead:federal overbuild of fiber with our bankrupt government? "in for an inch in for a mile" :shrug: |
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