4 ms·

Seems strange how bad ISP's are in the US compared to the UK. I can get 400/35 Fiber to the Home with no datacap (no throttling either) for £54 a month (~$70).

jonathankoren 8y ago
What's really strange is how the crappy broadband is continuously justified in the US.
- toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
  Replace “broadband” with everything from education and healthcare, through infrastructure and a dozen other words, and you’re still right. I don’t understand it either.
  - xyzzyz 8y ago
    Education and healthcare are of high quality in the US, generally speaking. They are just super expensive.
    - blattimwind 8y ago
      The Radio Eriwan joke writes itself.
      - toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
        Oh man, those still hold up too. “In principle yes, but unfortunately nobody here has the education to be sure.”
- sangnoir 8y ago
  The belief in American exceptionalism isn't limited to just positives.
JumpCrisscross 8y ago
> Seems strange how bad ISP's are in the US compared to the UK UK average fixed-line download speeds in Q4 2017 were about 26 Mbps [1]. The same Q2/Q3 2018 statistic for the United States was over 96 [2]. American broadband is crappy. But in mean technological leadership, it’s ahead of the UK. (At the leading edge, I get 400/35 for $80 in Manhattan.) [1] http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-kingdom/#fixed http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-kingdom/#fixed [2] http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-states/ http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-states/
- bjt 8y ago
  I wish they'd do the median rather than the mean. Having a small percentage of people with super high speeds will drag the mean up, but it doesn't change the experience for the typical consumer.
  - jdhzzz 8y ago
    Bill Gates walks into a bar. The mean net worth of bar patrons is > $1,000,000,000.
- CydeWeys 8y ago
  I'm in Manhattan too, and with FIOS my options are 100/100 for $40, 300/300 for $60, or 940/880 for $80. Admittedly those prices might be first year discounted prices.
blacksmith_tb 8y ago
Broadband in the US varies wildly - I'm paying $85 (~ £67) for an 800/800 fiber connection, but I am in a market where Comcast and Centurylink are slugging it out, so we have much better offerings than many parts of the country.
mikeash 8y ago
Depends on where you are. I’m paying $80/month for 940/940 fiber with no cap or throttling. A few miles down the road the only option is slow and unreliable cable through Comcast.

jonathankoren 8y ago

What's really strange is how the crappy broadband is continuously justified in the US.

toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
Replace “broadband” with everything from education and healthcare, through infrastructure and a dozen other words, and you’re still right. I don’t understand it either.
- xyzzyz 8y ago
  Education and healthcare are of high quality in the US, generally speaking. They are just super expensive.
  - blattimwind 8y ago
    The Radio Eriwan joke writes itself.
    - toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
      Oh man, those still hold up too. “In principle yes, but unfortunately nobody here has the education to be sure.”
sangnoir 8y ago
The belief in American exceptionalism isn't limited to just positives.

JumpCrisscross 8y ago

> Seems strange how bad ISP's are in the US compared to the UK UK average fixed-line download speeds in Q4 2017 were about 26 Mbps [1]. The same Q2/Q3 2018 statistic for the United States was over 96 [2]. American broadband is crappy. But in mean technological leadership, it’s ahead of the UK. (At the leading edge, I get 400/35 for $80 in Manhattan.) [1] http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-kingdom/#fixed http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-kingdom/#fixed [2] http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-states/ http://www.speedtest.net/reports/united-states/

bjt 8y ago
I wish they'd do the median rather than the mean. Having a small percentage of people with super high speeds will drag the mean up, but it doesn't change the experience for the typical consumer.
- jdhzzz 8y ago
  Bill Gates walks into a bar. The mean net worth of bar patrons is > $1,000,000,000.
CydeWeys 8y ago
I'm in Manhattan too, and with FIOS my options are 100/100 for $40, 300/300 for $60, or 940/880 for $80. Admittedly those prices might be first year discounted prices.

blacksmith_tb 8y ago

Broadband in the US varies wildly - I'm paying $85 (~ £67) for an 800/800 fiber connection, but I am in a market where Comcast and Centurylink are slugging it out, so we have much better offerings than many parts of the country.

mikeash 8y ago

Depends on where you are. I’m paying $80/month for 940/940 fiber with no cap or throttling. A few miles down the road the only option is slow and unreliable cable through Comcast.