[Discuss] Competition of broadband

[bene at klatsch.org (Ben Eisenbraun)]

On Sat, Dec 03, 2011 at 02:08:52PM -0500, Edward Ned Harvey wrote:
> > From: Dan O'Donovan
> > 
> > In the UK I could get all you can eat BB ADSL at 20Mb (advertised)
> > speeds for ?75 == $117 a YEAR (including setup costs).
> > 
> > Here in the US I (can only) get comcast's $60 a month 'deal' which
> > includes TV (which I don't have). I can't get a cheaper deal, and the
> > internet speeds are often lousy. 
> 
> Of course there's a flipside to everything, and here it is.  By lowering
> costs to consumers, of course you're benefitting the consumers and reducing
> the benefit to the providers.  The providers are then not as willing to
> extend out to rural areas as they otherwise would have been.

The only reason network providers build network to unprofitable areas, i.e.
low-density, rural areas, is because regulations force them to. It has
absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with how much they are charging the
high-density, profitable areas.

Local-loop unbundling (as they call it in the UK) is just a way of using
regulations to enforce a free market where providers have to compete on
service, price and features, and can't rely on being the largest company or
first to market or owning the most politicians in order to compete.

-b

--
you must do the thing you think you cannot do.	     <eleanor roosevelt>