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"Building more won't enable them to charge their customers more" Why not? If I'm noticing slowdowns due to saturation, and my ISP said "we're expanding in you

"Building more won't enable them to charge their customers more" Why not? If I'm noticing slowdowns due to saturation, and my ISP said "we're expanding in your area and upgrading equipment, capacity, etc, but it's going to add another $9/month on your bill" of course I'd pay it. A) I'd have no choice and B) I want better service.

pjc50 13y ago
I suspect few people will - and there's a limit to this, if they add $9 every few months for a different service, eventually you will refuse to pay $$$/month for the service. Imagine if every speed upgrade from 56k modems had also come with a price increase.
- mratzloff 13y ago
  Every few months? That's not what he said.
  - pjc50 13y ago
    No, it's not, but if they can increment prices once, why not again? If they can announce extra billing for "infrastructure upgrades" every few years, why not more frequently? Boil the frog as fast as possible. After all, where would it go?
myhf 13y ago
And if you noticed slowdowns due to traffic shaping and your ISP with their government-enforced monopoly said, "We're racketeering. It's going to add another $9/month on your bill." of course you'd pay it. You'd have no choice. Building more capacity and offering better service doesn't really enter into the picture in most American cities.
- mncolinlee 13y ago
  Point to even a single example or you earned every downvote you get. I know a lot of people hate the "government," but it's no more rational than hating "corporations." Which government? Why? My impression of US government ISPs from college campuses is that most leave a wide open pipe for pretty much free use with few exceptions. Many forget that the Internet was entirely given away to private interests by the government. Most public ISPs are understaffed and may at worst limit something by accident while targeting illegal activity.

pjc50 13y ago

I suspect few people will - and there's a limit to this, if they add $9 every few months for a different service, eventually you will refuse to pay $$$/month for the service. Imagine if every speed upgrade from 56k modems had also come with a price increase.

mratzloff 13y ago
Every few months? That's not what he said.
- pjc50 13y ago
  No, it's not, but if they can increment prices once, why not again? If they can announce extra billing for "infrastructure upgrades" every few years, why not more frequently? Boil the frog as fast as possible. After all, where would it go?

myhf 13y ago

And if you noticed slowdowns due to traffic shaping and your ISP with their government-enforced monopoly said, "We're racketeering. It's going to add another $9/month on your bill." of course you'd pay it. You'd have no choice. Building more capacity and offering better service doesn't really enter into the picture in most American cities.

mncolinlee 13y ago
Point to even a single example or you earned every downvote you get. I know a lot of people hate the "government," but it's no more rational than hating "corporations." Which government? Why? My impression of US government ISPs from college campuses is that most leave a wide open pipe for pretty much free use with few exceptions. Many forget that the Internet was entirely given away to private interests by the government. Most public ISPs are understaffed and may at worst limit something by accident while targeting illegal activity.