Broadband, are you getting screwed?

[Anonymous]

http://muniwireless.com/community/guests/872

In France, you can get super-fast DSL, unlimited phone service and 100 TV channels for a mere $38 a month. Why does the same thing cost so much more in the U.S.?

Next time you sit down to pay your cable-modem or DSL bill, consider this: Most Japanese consumers can get an Internet connection that’s 16 times faster than the typical American DSL line for a mere $22 per month.

Across the globe, it’s the same story. In France, DSL service that is 10 times faster than the typical United States connection; 100 TV channels and unlimited telephone service cost only $38 per month. In South Korea, super-fast connections are common for less than $30 per month. Places as diverse as Finland, Canada and Hong Kong all have much faster Internet connections at a lower cost than what is available here. In fact, since 2001, the U.S. has slipped from fourth to 16th in the world in broadband use per capita.

After some really intereseting discussions I have been having with my roommate and on other forums I decided to make this a personal crusade of mine to educate the American people to how we are getting screwed when it comes to broadband access. This is an interesting read, have fun but dont get to mad, anger never got anything done :)

[FZ1]

Cripes, my internet/cable bill runs me $150 a month. On the other hand, you can find a bunch of other products/services that are cheap here and expensive/non-existant overseas.

[Capper]

$150 a month?

Wholy crap, and I'm complaing about my $100 satelite and cable internet bill

[sbohdan]

Originally Posted by FZ1

Cripes, my internet/cable bill runs me $150 a month. On the other hand, you can find a bunch of other products/services that are cheap here and expensive/non-existant overseas.

Ok, tell us about those more expensive/non existent services in japan and western europe. I'm really curious
$150US is waaaay too much for cable and internet.
in ottawa I pay $80CDN for digital cable (300channels+) + $10CDN for a 1.5MB/s unlimited cable internet.
or I could have 3MB/s internet for $39.95CDN just for unlimited cable internet (or DSL) (that's like $25US)
also I pay 19.95 for the phone line/month.
whenever I go down to N.Y. to visit my family, I tell them that paying $80US for the phone line alone is ridiculous.

[Capper]

man, thats simply incredible for the services you get!

[sbohdan]

Originally Posted by Capper

man, thats simply incredible for the services you get!

actually, I think that internet and cable TV shouldn't be a luxury in the XXI century. it should be available to all and with those prices you guys have it is pretty much luxury. BTW, I think that the greed of the cableTV and internet providers in the US is bad, not only to the general public, but it actually hurts the providers as well. if prices would be affordable to everyone, then most of the peolple would have these services (waaaay more subscribers) and even with 1/3 or 1/4 of the present price, they would make more $$$ in the end - and everybody would be happy but now:

Places as diverse as Finland, Canada and Hong Kong all have much faster Internet connections at a lower cost than what is available here. In fact, since 2001, the U.S. has slipped from fourth to 16th in the world in broadband use per capita.

:evil: :evil:

[killswitch83]

Man, I've been paying, as of late, close to 125 a month for digital cable with all channels (except pr0n :P ) and 3 Mbps High-Speed........We have Charter Communications down here, crazy company, probably as bad as Adelphia, lol

[Tyreal]

Originally Posted by sbohdan

Ok, tell us about those more expensive/non existent services in japan and western europe. I'm really curious
$150US is waaaay too much for cable and internet.
in ottawa I pay $80CDN for digital cable (300channels+) + $10CDN for a 1.5MB/s unlimited cable internet.
or I could have 3MB/s internet for $39.95CDN just for unlimited cable internet (or DSL) (that's like $25US)
also I pay 19.95 for the phone line/month.
whenever I go down to N.Y. to visit my family, I tell them that paying $80US for the phone line alone is ridiculous.

ditto. i am in British Columbia and its about the same. Whats your provider? Im on Telus and i get pretty good speeds. Faster in the morning and slower at prime time since thats when most people are on.

I'll update you on our prices tommorrow.

[sbohdan]

it's sympatico but it doesn't matter - the rest is pretty much the same :D

[JCLW]

Originally Posted by sbohdan

actually, I think that internet and cable TV shouldn't be a luxury in the XXI century.

I think that cable and sat TV should be banned in the XXI century ;). 99% of it is crap that does nothing to further our society. I'd even go as far as to say 90% of it is detrimental to society. But that's just me.

My 4/1 DSL costs me $25/month (Sympatico). $25/month for land line (Vonage). $50/month for mobile (Telus). So CDN$100 for all my communication needs.