calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
| said by kcir  :...There is real broadband competition, right? If you can't get what you want from one provider go with another...  I'll let someone else respond to your claim that there is "real competition" in broadband--starting perhaps with those who can't obtain any broadband (save horrendously expensive satellite service) currently.
As for the ability to switch, there are at least two major problems.
First, this isn't like stopping at Jewell or Safeway if Kroger's doesn't have the sausage you're looking for. Broadband is a much more long-term commitment where you won't be switching providers every week. Accordingly, each provider has more market power with its subscribers than a vendor who has only customers who can easily visit competitors.
Second, this is really about the creation of a market structure. If we see a market where ISP service is subsidized by the content providers (as local telephone was subsidized by long distance) then we also see a market where the larger providers have extensive interlocking relationships and it's much harder for new, smaller providers to break into commerce because they don't have the "heft" to play at the same table. This applies to both new content providers (who would have to "pay to play" and get acceptable delivery from ISPs) and new ISPs (including, particularly, wireless providers) who would be at a disadvantage because they would have such small initial subscriber numbers that the large content providers wouldn't want to bother paying them the "traffic preference fees" that they would pay large ISPs.
The real question is whether you want to see a large, independent provider marketplace or you want to see one where most of the content is controlled by fewer players who have and maintain cozy financial relationships (including joint ownership) with major ISPs.
calvoiper
--
VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! |
