Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC |  $9.99
$9.99 and even $4.99 tiers is what it will take to migrate everyone to broadband.
There are some people who can't see paying $5-$10 more a month for something they only use once or twice a week to check email. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
 ·North State Commun..
|  Bill Lowered
said by Article :
The report also found that monthly broadband bills are 4% lower in May 2008 ($34.50) than at the end of 2005 ($37), but monthly dial-up bills have risen.
My ISP (northstate.net) lowered my monthly charge by $15 a month ($89.95 to $74.95) without even asking a few months ago. I just happened to notice it on my bill. |
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ncbill
Premium
join:2007-01-23
Winston Salem, NC | Price is still an issue
$39.95 for a YEAR of 150 hours/month dial-up (vtisp.com)
vs.
$10/month for the cheapest broadband in my market:
AT&T 768KB (but that price requires a $30/month landline) |
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lt_wentoncha
Red6
join:2002-05-12
000000 |  Wow...
...a life without youtube or any type of streaming media is a life unfulfilled. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| said by lt_wentoncha  :...a life without youtube or any type of streaming media is a life unfulfilled. While I still don't get the whole YouTube thing, you can pry my XM Radio Online out of my cold dead hands. |
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DOStradamus
MVM
join:2003-11-04
Santa Rosa, CA
| reply to ncbill
Re: Price is still an issue
said by ncbill :AT&T 768KB (but that price requires a $30/month landline) Actually, it's a $11/month landline. I have one.
It "costs" $5.70 a month, on top of which, about $5 worth of taxes, fees, and unfees are tacked on.
-NK |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
 ·Cox HSI
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
| reply to ncbill
said by ncbill :AT&T 768KB ( but that price requires a $30/month landline) So does dial up. |
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BSD24
Tier 4
Premium
join:2008-04-30
Middleboro, MA
clubs:
·Comcast
·Verizon FIOS
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to ncbill
said by ncbill :$39.95 for a YEAR of 150 hours/month dial-up (vtisp.com) vs. $10/month for the cheapest broadband in my market: AT&T 768KB (but that price requires a $30/month landline) I doubt you will ever see $39.95 for 1 year of broadband, thats way out of the ballpark. Thats bargain isp, and I think it would be funny to find out how many people have that. Probably less than 19% of the first group. I agree with MattE - a cheaper tier like $10 - $15 per month will bring many customers over who have regular unlimited (dial-up) ISP's like PeoplePC, AOL, Earthlink, etc. DSL was the only one to touch $14.95 - but has risen since, but problem with DSL, not only is it not available in many areas, but many times even if the area is available - only homes and such can make it impossible for the house to receive and use DSL service (just won't work).
My grandmother tried to get DSL back when it was $15/mnth but even when it was active and supposed to be working, no PC (tried 3 different ones from my house besides hers) would get online successfully, verizon couldn't figure it out or just didn't care. So she is still on dialup.
If cable went as low as $19.99 perm price for lower tier I bet I could get my grandmother to switch - $15 would be better though. |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
·Verizon FIOS
·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
| I'm not surprised
There are so many sources of news and entertainment that broadband isn't a necessity, it's a luxury.
And if you're just surfing and checking email occasionally you certainly don't need it. While people tout AT&T's budget DSL, that price is extraordinarily rare. Even Verizon raised their budget DSL price 33% to $20 plus the junk fees.
When you can get dial up for less than $7/mo, and and it does the job, why pay more than 3X the price?
It's like telling someone to buy race gas for their Toyota at $15/gal when regular 87 does the job. |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
·Verizon FIOS
·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
| reply to DOStradamus
Re: Price is still an issue
Depends on your market. Not everyone can get $5.70 basic POTS. In my area it's $10+taxes and fees for a total of about $18.
But you can get away with metered service with DSL. With dialup I'd be paying $18 for unlimited local plus taxes. But even then, POTS plus cheap dial up is less than 1/2 the price of Verizon's cheapest DSL. |
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AtlGuy
join:2000-10-17
Marietta, GA | reply to DOStradamus
I could be wrong, and I'm sure someone will point it out if I am, but I believe the cost is higher in the AT&T Southeast (former Bellsouth) region. |
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Madtown
join:2008-04-26
Madera, CA | 19%
I wonder what the age range of these 19% that refuse to upgrade to broadband, and what type of life do they live??? |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to Dogfather
Re: I'm not surprised
said by Dogfather :There are so many sources of news and entertainment that broadband isn't a necessity, it's a luxury. And if you're just surfing and checking email occasionally you certainly don't need it. While people tout AT&T's budget DSL, that price is extraordinarily rare. Even Verizon raised their budget DSL price 33% to $20 plus the junk fees. When you can get dial up for less than $7/mo, and and it does the job, why pay more than 3X the price? It's like telling someone to buy race gas for their Toyota at $15/gal when regular 87 does the job. You forget you have to count the cost of the phone line. fr example my friend that lives justs couple mles outside city limits can't get briadband. he wants it, he'd pay for it can't get it. Sure he could get dial-up for $10 form AOL or whereever but then he needs to get a landline. He uses a cell and doesn't need a landline. For some reason his part of the county is servivced by TDS which charges 418 for basic POTS line not counting taxes and fees so it's close to $25. So that' $35 a month if he gets dial-up. Hell I can get naked DSL from at&t for 768 Kbps for $20 or 1.5 Mbps for $38. |
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mgbaker
join:2000-05-14
Charlotte, NC
·RoadRunner Cable
| Really- some folks just don't care
It may be hard for some in this forum to understand, but there are people out there who simply don't care about the internet and others who just like to check their email or maybe visit a few sites. There's probably a lot of folks who could care less about how fast their download and upload speeds are.... just let them get their email and that's fine with them. My parents are like that and my grandparents see no need for an internet connection at all. I even have a a couple of friends who've grown bored with the internet and seems like they're never using their computers except for maybe work related stuff.
I'm not sure if I could live without broadband, but some people just don't care. Also, with the way the economy is right now there will probably be some folks who just decide to do without an internet connection in order to save some money. |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
4 edits | reply to BF69
Re: I'm not surprised
Of course everyone on earth can get AT&T. Verizon's dry loop is $27 plus junk fees.
And most people have home phone service no matter what. |
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BSD24
Tier 4
Premium
join:2008-04-30
Middleboro, MA
clubs:
·Comcast
·Verizon FIOS
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to mgbaker
Re: Really- some folks just don't care
Some people, especially now a-days can't afford even the basic things that many of us take for granted, like food and water and clothes. Many people don't even own a computer, many can't afford it or don't need one.
Then there are the people that are afraid of change, primarily the older generation. Or these people don't use the internet as often as the rest of us might. This includes people who only go online to send emails, then they get off right after they are done.
--
BSD |
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dougis
join:2000-05-02
Everett, WA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to mgbaker
said by mgbaker :there are people out there who ....just like to check their email or maybe visit a few sites. There's probably a lot of folks who could care less about how fast their download and upload speeds are.... You hit it right on the head. I have talking with my folks about high speed (well, Quest BB) and they don't really care.
The only time they look at it really hard is when I or my sister are down there and get tired of waiting for things to load (downloading patches at dial up SUCKS).
Until the cost is a wash there won't be any compelling reason to switch. |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | reply to AtlGuy
Re: Price is still an issue
It depends on your state tariff. |
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mgbaker
join:2000-05-14
Charlotte, NC
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to dougis
Re: Really- some folks just don't care
You hit it right on the head. I have talking with my folks about high speed (well, Quest BB) and they don't really care.
The only time they look at it really hard is when I or my sister are down there and get tired of waiting for things to load (downloading patches at dial up SUCKS).
Until the cost is a wash there won't be any compelling reason to switch.
Sounds just like my parents situation.
I also have a neighbor who's in her 50s and I help her from time to time with her computer. She has a DSL Lite package, but she may go a week or two without ever turning on her computer and only has one because her son bought it for her.
Off-topic: I see you joined BBR way back when I did, 12 days before me. |
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mgbaker
join:2000-05-14
Charlotte, NC
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to BSD24
Great points.
I think sometimes there's this impression everyone is doing a particular activity. When in reality, a lot of people are not. Like the sickening hype about the iPhone, there were times when websites, news reports and blathering blogs made it sound like every single person in the world wanted one. Or, everyone wants to surf the web on their cell phones and watch tiny arse videos on tiny arse screens... I certainly don't.
I love technology and gadgets, but there are certainly times when I feel some people really get their knickers in knots worrying about the latest greatest next best thing. There are so many people out there who just can't afford that stuff, and others who could care less. |
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