4 ms·

Exactly. I can get my Internet connection from 100+ companies. In the US, as far as I've seen, it's 2 companies if you're lucky. In the UK, the market will dec

by axod 16y ago

Exactly. I can get my Internet connection from 100+ companies. In the US, as far as I've seen, it's 2 companies if you're lucky. In the UK, the market will decide what people want from their internet connection, and customers have more than enough choice to decide what they want. I'm glad the government is keeping out of it.

alextgordon 16y ago
To give a real world example: Quite a few ISPs in the UK institute bandwidth caps. Sometimes these caps can be horrendously expensive compared to the real cost of the bandwidth (i.e. high markup). But there's also quite a few ISPs with no unreasonable bandwidth caps. I have the choice to use one of these ISPs instead (and I do). Same deal with net neutrality. If non-neutral ISPs pop up, then you can be sure that neutral ones will too. There's no better selling point than "we're cheaper than those guys". I think the government is right not to mess with a well functioning market when there's not even a problem yet. I'm not so keen on them trying to spin non-neutral practices into a good thing (this may just be the article sensationalising).
- axod 16y ago
  Good example. As for the spin, I think it's good to give people choice. For example if people want to get a cheaper internet connection that's watered down version without 'premium' websites which cost extra, then that's fair enough. I don't think anything like that would work well though. People expect the internet to mean 'everything' on a level playing field.
- bruceboughton 16y ago
  As a counter example, if can only get your broadband via cable, you're stuck with Virgin Media (I think) who have quite an onerous capping policy [1] unless you fork out for 50Mb fibre optic. [1] http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management/traffic-management-policy.html http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management/traffic-... - in particular, note the evening fair use amount: 3.5Gb
  - shrikant 16y ago
    Sadly, you can't choose to get your broadband "only via cable" - Virgin still requires you to pony up for the phone line. I'm currently paying Sky £10 a month for a landline phone that I will never use, and £11 a month for the Internet.
    - g_lined 16y ago
      Virgin offer packages which don't require a BT Line. It may be that you are not cabled up suitably for such a deal (we used to pay our cable operator, now Virgin, for a telephone line which we could not get but they gave us 'free' TV which is what we actually wanted to buy). http://shop.virginmedia.com//bundles/specials/affiliate/duals/non-branded.html http://shop.virginmedia.com//bundles/specials/affiliate/dual... All other providers do require a BT line, though some people would say it's a landline phone line that you /always/ use...assuming you leave your router on.
      - axod 16y ago
        > "All other providers do require a BT line" Untrue. Most exchanges now have LLU which allows you to get your phone+ADSL from other providers. You may still need to get your phone line from BT, but that's not the case in many places.
  - axod 16y ago
    The vast majority can get ADSL now. I believe coverage is 95%+ Obviously it sucks for the few exchanges that can't do ADSL. Then your only real options are 3G, satellite, or install your own dedicated line.

by axod 16y ago

alextgordon 16y ago

To give a real world example: Quite a few ISPs in the UK institute bandwidth caps. Sometimes these caps can be horrendously expensive compared to the real cost of the bandwidth (i.e. high markup). But there's also quite a few ISPs with no unreasonable bandwidth caps. I have the choice to use one of these ISPs instead (and I do). Same deal with net neutrality. If non-neutral ISPs pop up, then you can be sure that neutral ones will too. There's no better selling point than "we're cheaper than those guys". I think the government is right not to mess with a well functioning market when there's not even a problem yet. I'm not so keen on them trying to spin non-neutral practices into a good thing (this may just be the article sensationalising).

axod 16y ago
Good example. As for the spin, I think it's good to give people choice. For example if people want to get a cheaper internet connection that's watered down version without 'premium' websites which cost extra, then that's fair enough. I don't think anything like that would work well though. People expect the internet to mean 'everything' on a level playing field.
bruceboughton 16y ago
As a counter example, if can only get your broadband via cable, you're stuck with Virgin Media (I think) who have quite an onerous capping policy [1] unless you fork out for 50Mb fibre optic. [1] http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management/traffic-management-policy.html http://shop.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management/traffic-... - in particular, note the evening fair use amount: 3.5Gb
- shrikant 16y ago
  Sadly, you can't choose to get your broadband "only via cable" - Virgin still requires you to pony up for the phone line. I'm currently paying Sky £10 a month for a landline phone that I will never use, and £11 a month for the Internet.
  - g_lined 16y ago
    Virgin offer packages which don't require a BT Line. It may be that you are not cabled up suitably for such a deal (we used to pay our cable operator, now Virgin, for a telephone line which we could not get but they gave us 'free' TV which is what we actually wanted to buy). http://shop.virginmedia.com//bundles/specials/affiliate/duals/non-branded.html http://shop.virginmedia.com//bundles/specials/affiliate/dual... All other providers do require a BT line, though some people would say it's a landline phone line that you /always/ use...assuming you leave your router on.
    - axod 16y ago
      > "All other providers do require a BT line" Untrue. Most exchanges now have LLU which allows you to get your phone+ADSL from other providers. You may still need to get your phone line from BT, but that's not the case in many places.
- axod 16y ago
  The vast majority can get ADSL now. I believe coverage is 95%+ Obviously it sucks for the few exchanges that can't do ADSL. Then your only real options are 3G, satellite, or install your own dedicated line.