Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

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mistermack
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by mistermack » Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:35 pm

subversive science wrote: Our only broadband provider is cable. Some places in the region have a choice between cable and fiber, but the latter depends on whether Verizon has built the infrastructure in a particular service area. And, this is in and around DC.
That's confused me.
Over here, when we say cable, we mean fibre-optic cable. Is there another sort? Or do you mean phone lines when you say cable?
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by laklak » Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:44 pm

"Traditional" cable, the stuff they started laying back in the 60s, is co-axial. Fiber optic is relatively new in the consumer market, the only company rolling it out on a large scale is Verizon. Pretty massive investment in infrastructure, so it's only in areas with a higher population density.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by mistermack » Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:48 pm

laklak wrote:"Traditional" cable, the stuff they started laying back in the 60s, is co-axial. Fiber optic is relatively new in the consumer market, the only company rolling it out on a large scale is Verizon. Pretty massive investment in infrastructure, so it's only in areas with a higher population density.
That's what happened here, about twenty years ago. Wonder why it's taken so long?
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by tattuchu » Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:52 pm

mistermack wrote:
tattuchu wrote:
Scrumple wrote:
Men's haircuts, loaves of bread... it is surprising how much more expensive some things are in the US than the UK.
How much do haircuts and loaves of bread cost elsewhere? A good loaf of bread around here costs about four dollars. A fresh artisan loaf at nearby Panera Bread can cost twice that, but it's a larger than normal sized loaf.
Fuck, that is a lot for bread. About three times the UK price, I'm guessing.
I have a bread machine, so it's the price of flour that I take note of.

1.5 kg cheapest is about fifty pence here in the UK. Strong bread flour is about a pound.
I can't imagine why the price of flour would be high in the US. So why don't people just buy a bread machine? With those bread prices, it would be a no-brainer.
People here have lost the concept of making things themselves. Plus a good bread machine costs several hundred dollars.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by mistermack » Mon Oct 28, 2013 3:06 pm

tattuchu wrote: People here have lost the concept of making things themselves. Plus a good bread machine costs several hundred dollars.
Bread machines here start from about twenty five pounds. I got mine for nothing off freecycle, and it's still going strong.
I usually use it to make the dough, and then make french sticks in the oven, because I like french sticks with sesame seeds on, and you just can't get them locally.
But making a loaf just means a bit of weighing, and pressing a button. If I can do it, anyone can.

I just looked on the Aldi website, and their sliced shitebread is about 55p for an 800gm loaf.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by subversive science » Mon Oct 28, 2013 4:12 pm

mistermack wrote:
laklak wrote:"Traditional" cable, the stuff they started laying back in the 60s, is co-axial. Fiber optic is relatively new in the consumer market, the only company rolling it out on a large scale is Verizon. Pretty massive investment in infrastructure, so it's only in areas with a higher population density.
That's what happened here, about twenty years ago. Wonder why it's taken so long?
Lack of competition due to semi-accepted monopolies. Most areas only get one cable (television) provider and one phone provider. In areas where the phone provider offers fiber, prices are cheaper than where both a cable provider and a phone provider compete. Until the phone companies started expanding fiber to offer enough bandwidth for TV and broadband, cable television providers were the only option. Since the service was deemed "good enough", there was no motivation to upgrade the older coaxial networks. Even today, fiber in most places offers about the same bandwidth as coaxial cable service.

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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by mistermack » Mon Oct 28, 2013 9:42 pm

Thanks. I didn't realise that there was coaxial before fibre-optic. I think I must have just assumed that all the cable that they were laying was fibre-optic.
I have fibre-optic cable connected, but I fell out with Virgin, and cancelled. Now I have broadband down the phone line, and it's fine, and cheaper. It's slower in theory, but I couldn't tell the difference when I changed.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by klr » Mon Oct 28, 2013 9:59 pm

mistermack wrote:Thanks. I didn't realise that there was coaxial before fibre-optic. I think I must have just assumed that all the cable that they were laying was fibre-optic.
I have fibre-optic cable connected, but I fell out with Virgin, and cancelled. Now I have broadband down the phone line, and it's fine, and cheaper. It's slower in theory, but I couldn't tell the difference when I changed.
A lot of wired internet uses co-ax, especially when it's being bundled with cable TV, or at least is using the same infrastructure.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by SteveB » Mon Oct 28, 2013 11:28 pm

Broadband expensive in the US!? :lol:

Try Canada. We've got a fucking oligopoly here.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by Tero » Tue Oct 29, 2013 12:03 am

More single family suburban homes? Lots of wire.

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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by Brian Peacock » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:46 am

I think basic Internet access should be free.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by JimC » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:52 am

I think gin should be free.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by laklak » Tue Oct 29, 2013 2:14 am

I think gin, internet and beer. Especially beer. Oh, and kebabs. Can't forget kebabs.
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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by pcCoder » Tue Oct 29, 2013 2:53 am

Our service is about $45/mo for about 10Mb down and 300Kb up. We have a local fiber provider called Fibrant that claims to be 15MB down and up for about $50/mo. I don't know if that is a mistake and should be Mb instead of MB.

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Re: Why is broadband more expensive in the US?

Post by Warren Dew » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:30 am

I think markets should be free.

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