Saturday, December 15, 2012

Telecoms in the U.S. Have Held Broadband Internet Access ...

Here are the facts: Approximately 19 million Americans can?t subscribe to high-speed internet access because they live in areas that private companies believe are too expensive to serve. Internet access is still very expensive compared to the rest of the developed world ? a third of Americans don?t or can?t subscribe.

Via Wired:

Internet access in America remains relatively slow ? particularly when it comes to upload speeds, the very feature necessary for cloud computing and creating user-generated content. Cable companies dominate wired internet access and face no real competition or pricing pressure; telcos like Verizon and AT&T have retreated to wireless, which will never be a full substitute for wired capacity; and we still have no plan for a nation-wide upgrade to fiber.

Congress created the FCC to make available to ?all the people of the United States? a ?rapid, efficient, Nation-wide? communications service ?at reasonable charges.? But we have failed in that task when it comes to the basic communications need of our time: high-speed internet access. Reliable information access is central to every policy we care about, including education, health, and even national security.

How bad is it? Here?s a graphic to put it into some perspective.

internet-speeds-costs-worldwide

Source: http://jamespoling.com/telecoms-in-the-u-s-have-held-broadband-internet-access-hostage-with-little-to-no-investment-in-infrastructure-while-charging-some-of-the-highest-prices-in-the-world-for-access/

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