[Discuss] recent Internet speed upgrade by Comcast?

[mark at buttery.org (Shirley Márquez Dúlcey)]

In my part of Boston, the choices are Comcast and Comcast. Oh, and
very bad Verizon DSL service, and Clearwire service that you can no
longer sign up for and was bad anyway. They aren't under any market
pressure here but they did the upgrade anyway.

On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 2:46 PM, Jack Coats <jack at coats.org> wrote:
> It might not make short term business sense, but doing the long term upgrade
> to their infrastructure is in their best interest to keep their business
> viable.
>
> US ISPs of all kinds are getting bad press with the USA being the highest
> price and slowest network of all developed countries.
>
> My guess is they aren't about to lower their income (your cost) but they can
> do the next best thing in providing better connectivity especially where it
> is of no significant cost to them.
>
> They need to work on making us believe we are getting good service for our
> cash, and real competition would not result in significantly better service.
> If they do this, they can stay the 800lb gorilla in the room for a long
> time.  If not, and customers demand it, eventually there will be google to
> the desktop, or direct broadcast mesh or satellite networking for a
> reasonable price after a few more court battles are fought over current ISP
> 'benevolent monopoly' philosophy.
>
> At least that is my guess.  It is probably wrong.