Americans Getting Ripped Off For Internet?

[hbueno]

$40/month here for Verizon FIOS 300/300. In the past, I had Optimum(Cablevision) but dropped it when the triple play breached $200/month. Now I subscribe to DirectTV Stream and Ooma for phone and spend around $170/month total. It still bugs me, but less than $200+/month bugs me.

[David]

Xfinity, $85/mo, 431 down, 11 up. We also pay $65/mo for YoutubeTV plus Netflix, prime, ext.

I don’t recall what I’ve measured in Europe and Asia but I remember being surprised at how fast it was.

[fintstone]

It is about distance/cost to recoup expenses to run wire/fiber per number of customers in the US and no competition that result in the high cost in many cases. No one even offers cable or internet to the large subdivision where I live.

Since in many cases, counties have only allowed one carrier, there is no incentive for them to serve everyone (if it increases costs/reduces net revenue). That is why wherever government allows a monopoly or oligopoly, they need to be sure to have stiff requirements for the sole provider to serve all citizens/taxpayers (as they did with phone lines/other utilities). Too often, unless the regulators have the problem themselves, they do not address it...as the providers are powerful and citizens are lowly scum that are only to be milked for taxes to pay their salaries.

[dad911]

I was so glad to move to be rid of comcast/xfinity. Their triple play never worked with more than 1 set at a time. We dropped everything but basic service, and had to threaten to drop them entirely every year to keep rates down.

[Scott R]

My friend in Sweden pays nothing, the government picks it up, other friend in Norway is the same. For me, it's $340/month for 2.5GB with a 4G backup system and backup power, q requirement for my work.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Pricing all over the place.

Part of the problem is cost of infrastructure and the other part, the bigger part, is lack of competition.

In my community of 4,000 homes some of us have a choice of two providers, both of whom suck.

The other part has only one option.

TX prohibits municipalities from creating their own networks.

I actually looked into creating a co-op for us using wide area WIFI but I'd technically have to lease tower space on the border of the community because installing any infrastructure on community property would technically run afoul of the municipality prohibition. Might get away with putting AP's on peoples roofs but I'm not that motivated to deal with that.

The 3rd emerging option is 5G, TMobile is currently chasing that space and of course it comes with some of the limitations of cell based carriers but I expect to see a lot of improvement in the next 5 years that will become a legitimate threat to current cable based providers.

I've got T-Mobile "Home Internet Lite" (lite because I'm in the boonies and they aren't quite ready for our area to go whole hog). I've had it for almost a week. I live right between 2 towers, so my signal is low but good enough. So far it's been rock solid and fine for streaming and working from home and surfing or any combination of those things.

I've been using the same basic thing for the last year and a half, but I have a commercial device that currently only support 4G which has been more than enough. At least, it was until they recently upgraded one of my local towers to 5G. Since then, my commercial solution disconnects frequently which is why I "upgraded" to their "official" home internet solution. I'd prefer to use my commercial router/hardware as it has better functionality.

I suspect a business class Internet would include a better device but it's not worth the cost to me.

I believe Verizon and ATT both also have Home Internet offerings.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've got T-Mobile "Home Internet Lite" (lite because I'm in the boonies and they aren't quite ready for our area to go whole hog). I've had it for almost a week. I live right between 2 towers, so my signal is low but good enough. So far it's been rock solid and fine for streaming and working from home and surfing or any combination of those things.

I've been using the same basic thing for the last year and a half, but I have a commercial device that currently only support 4G which has been more than enough. At least, it was until they recently upgraded one of my local towers to 5G. Since then, my commercial solution disconnects frequently which is why I "upgraded" to their "official" home internet solution. I'd prefer to use my commercial router/hardware as it has better functionality.

I suspect a business class Internet would include a better device but it's not worth the cost to me.

I believe Verizon and ATT both also have Home Internet offerings.

They only offer them in certain areas though.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Scott R

My friend in Sweden pays nothing, the government picks it up, other friend in Norway is the same. For me, it's $340/month for 2.5GB with a 4G backup system and backup power, q requirement for my work.

when you say "2.5GB" do you mean that's your speed or your monthly bandwidth allowance? What the heck do you do that requires that sort of speed? Remote by video and robotic brain surgery? It's nice that (I hope) the company foots the bill.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by jyl

At home in Oregon, I pay about $100/mo for about (advertised) 100 Mbps home internet,

Yes it's cheaper in europe (and lots are faster because it's smaller countries that make it easier to lay down more fiber)

Yes you're getting hosed. I'm paying same as you for a GIG, and I am getting hosed (my friend in bigger cities pay half of what I pay)

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fintstone

They only offer them in certain areas though.

Absolutely. I've been on the T-mobile waiting list for a year and a half. Fortunately, T-mobile has data only plans that can be used for the same purpose. The only issue is that they require hardware. T-mobile does have some alternate hardware, but what was available 1.5 years ago was (to me) wholly inadequate. I don't know what's available now (besides the thing that I just got). I'm sure Verizon and ATT are similar.

[expatriot98]

$60 per mo Comcast on a year promo. They try to up it to $75 or 80 when the year is up. I call customer retention every year and get it back down to $60.

[David]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've got T-Mobile "Home Internet Lite" (lite because I'm in the boonies and they aren't quite ready for our area to go whole hog). I've had it for almost a week. I live right between 2 towers, so my signal is low but good enough. So far it's been rock solid and fine for streaming and working from home and surfing or any combination of those things.

I've been using the same basic thing for the last year and a half, but I have a commercial device that currently only support 4G which has been more than enough. At least, it was until they recently upgraded one of my local towers to 5G. Since then, my commercial solution disconnects frequently which is why I "upgraded" to their "official" home internet solution. I'd prefer to use my commercial router/hardware as it has better functionality.

I suspect a business class Internet would include a better device but it's not worth the cost to me.

I believe Verizon and ATT both also have Home Internet offerings.

Are you able to stream TV on this? We have a farm house in east Texas running a Verizon hotspot and sometimes it slows to a halt.

[NY65912]

300Mbps for $29 a month including tax Verizon Fios

[masraum]

Originally Posted by David

Are you able to stream TV on this? We have a farm house in east Texas running a Verizon hotspot and sometimes it slows to a halt.

Yes, it's our only TV, Netflix, Prime, etc.... We stream no problem. It would, of course, depend upon what carrier has the best coverage/service at your location.

Do you have verizon cell service? If the streaming dies, and you have verizon cell service, do your cell phones still work (not going through the hotspot)? Does it just start working again or do you have to reboot the hotspot? My thought is that the gateway may have some sort of issue, like a bug, or I suppose the service may just have interference or something like that.

These are 3 tests each back to back on my cell (downstairs) and via the 5G gateway (upstairs) just now. If I'm upstairs, my cell phone gets much better results. Our place is in a depression compared to the area east and west which is where the nearest towers are.


These are probably the best results that I've seen since installing the gateway.

[flatbutt]

Optimum has a near monopoly where I live. Verizon is just barely edging in.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by masraum

I suspect a business class Internet would include a better device but it's not worth the cost to me.

You sir are correct. I have to use a business account at the house to have the ability to log on to electronic health records.

It costs triple, and is marginally better than standard home service.

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by masraum

when you say "2.5GB" do you mean that's your speed or your monthly bandwidth allowance? What the heck do you do that requires that sort of speed? Remote by video and robotic brain surgery? It's nice that (I hope) the company foots the bill.

No, it's Business Pro from Comcast, 2.0 up/down and it's hitting over 2.5. Do I need it? No. My work does require business class internet end a redundant connection for full-time remote employees. I'm an IT Architect.

Comcast has business plans from 50mb to 10gb depending on what you need and where you're located.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Scott R

No, it's Business Pro from Comcast, 2.0 up/down and it's hitting over 2.5. Do I need it? No. My work does require business class internet end a redundant connection for full-time remote employees. I'm an IT Architect.

Comcast has business plans from 50mb to 10gb depending on what you need and where you're located.

faster porn than you can shake your stick at!

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by masraum

faster porn than you can shake your stick at!

If not for p0rn I don't even see a reason for the internet. I consider Sizzle a bigger founder of the internet than Cerf an Kahn.

[jcommin]

I have Xfinity internet only $79/month. I am using my own router.