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where there was even less choice (one provider!) than the very worst of current local broadband markets. I have exactly one choice of wired "broadband" provide

by lutorm 12y ago

where there was even less choice (one provider!) than the very worst of current local broadband markets. I have exactly one choice of wired "broadband" provider: TWC. I'm not sure you know what you're talking about.

gojomo 12y ago
There are no DSL providers where you are? That's very rare. Unfortunately, FCC net neutrality regulations do nothing to encourage new competitive entry. By homogenizing service offerings – closing off forms of billing/revenue that might finance new entrants, and increasing compliance costs/risks – it could make things worse. Also, you've qualified things as "wired", implying you do have wireless options, which keep improving. The Title II POTS regulation was designed for a world with truly just one phone provider per address. You've got at the very least 1 wired plus 1 or more wireless.
- whyaduck 12y ago
  DSL may be widely available, but it often can't be considered broadband. At my home (in a large-ish suburb) the fastest DSL connection I can get is 5 Mbps.
  - gojomo 12y ago
    5Mbps was "broadband" (>3Mbps) until the FCC made an arbitrary goalpost-moving redefinition a few weeks ago. 5Mbps is more than enough for live HD videoconferencing and 720p HD TV/movie downloads (Netflix/ITunes/Amazon) faster-than-realtime. Yeah, I like it when multi-GB software or datasets download in a few minutes... but I'm in the bandwidth-huffing 1%. If almost everyone has competitive options for everything they regularly use, but a few of the heaviest users have to buy from a single best provider in their area, that doesn't sound like a national "rescue the net!" emergency to me. Just a temporary inconvenience for early adopters.
    - warfangle 12y ago
      5Mbps advertised, or 5Mbps actual? There's that unfortunate clause, "speeds up to." Netflix recommends an internet speed of at least 5.0Mbps for HD quality streaming. Which means your 'up to 5.0mbps' connection, depending on network congestion and oversell, will probably end up being SD or lower. Videoconferencing at 640x480, 30fps, uses ~512kbps. for 1080p video conferencing with two participants, you need 2-8Mbps connection on both ends. For 720p, you need 2-6Mbps on both ends. Hugo is 3.99GB in 720p on iTunes. If a 5Mbps connection can be sustained for the entire length of file transmission, you could download it in about 108 minutes. The film is 126 minutes long. That's technically faster-than-realtime, but good luck getting an "up to 5Mbps" connection to sustain 5Mbps for two hours. You could start the download, take the dog for a walk and make a bowl of popcorn and then hope your connection speed doesn't drop thirty minutes in.
    - whyaduck 12y ago
      I'm not sure wanting more than 5 Mbps (a service level that's been commonly available for more than a decade now) would classify someone as an early adopter in 2015.
- GregBuchholz 12y ago
  How barbaric are you? Only commoners might consider DSL to be "broadband". What's next 3G or satellite internet considered "broadband"? Have you no decency?
- lutorm 12y ago
  Notwithstanding the debate over whether DSL is "broadband", no, there is not. The local phone company offers... wait for it... dialup! There is LTE, which would be ridiculously expensive for the data volumes normally used by a residential internet connection, and I think you can get some company to put up a dedicated microwave link for something starting at $200/month. I noticed you moved the goalposts in your second comment...
  - gojomo 12y ago
    While you are the expert on what's available to you, your situation remains highly atypical. For 2014, the FCC reported 88% of US households had at least 2 fixed-line 3Mbps+ providers – and 98% had 2+ wireless 3MBps+ providers. You should get more options! But FCC regulations on ISPs in multi-provider markets won't help those arrive for you, and could hurt. Those currently $200-a-month LTE/microwave options won't come down in cost faster with more federal restrictions on how the ISPs can charge or cross-subsidize. (I added words about the FCC's "goalpost-moving" but don't know what you mean about me moving goalposts.)
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
- _greim_ 12y ago
  > By homogenizing service offerings... Not quite homogenous. Providers could still compete on speed.

by lutorm 12y ago

gojomo 12y ago

There are no DSL providers where you are? That's very rare. Unfortunately, FCC net neutrality regulations do nothing to encourage new competitive entry. By homogenizing service offerings – closing off forms of billing/revenue that might finance new entrants, and increasing compliance costs/risks – it could make things worse. Also, you've qualified things as "wired", implying you do have wireless options, which keep improving. The Title II POTS regulation was designed for a world with truly just one phone provider per address. You've got at the very least 1 wired plus 1 or more wireless.

whyaduck 12y ago
DSL may be widely available, but it often can't be considered broadband. At my home (in a large-ish suburb) the fastest DSL connection I can get is 5 Mbps.
- gojomo 12y ago
  5Mbps was "broadband" (>3Mbps) until the FCC made an arbitrary goalpost-moving redefinition a few weeks ago. 5Mbps is more than enough for live HD videoconferencing and 720p HD TV/movie downloads (Netflix/ITunes/Amazon) faster-than-realtime. Yeah, I like it when multi-GB software or datasets download in a few minutes... but I'm in the bandwidth-huffing 1%. If almost everyone has competitive options for everything they regularly use, but a few of the heaviest users have to buy from a single best provider in their area, that doesn't sound like a national "rescue the net!" emergency to me. Just a temporary inconvenience for early adopters.
  - warfangle 12y ago
    5Mbps advertised, or 5Mbps actual? There's that unfortunate clause, "speeds up to." Netflix recommends an internet speed of at least 5.0Mbps for HD quality streaming. Which means your 'up to 5.0mbps' connection, depending on network congestion and oversell, will probably end up being SD or lower. Videoconferencing at 640x480, 30fps, uses ~512kbps. for 1080p video conferencing with two participants, you need 2-8Mbps connection on both ends. For 720p, you need 2-6Mbps on both ends. Hugo is 3.99GB in 720p on iTunes. If a 5Mbps connection can be sustained for the entire length of file transmission, you could download it in about 108 minutes. The film is 126 minutes long. That's technically faster-than-realtime, but good luck getting an "up to 5Mbps" connection to sustain 5Mbps for two hours. You could start the download, take the dog for a walk and make a bowl of popcorn and then hope your connection speed doesn't drop thirty minutes in.
  - whyaduck 12y ago
    I'm not sure wanting more than 5 Mbps (a service level that's been commonly available for more than a decade now) would classify someone as an early adopter in 2015.
GregBuchholz 12y ago
How barbaric are you? Only commoners might consider DSL to be "broadband". What's next 3G or satellite internet considered "broadband"? Have you no decency?
lutorm 12y ago
Notwithstanding the debate over whether DSL is "broadband", no, there is not. The local phone company offers... wait for it... dialup! There is LTE, which would be ridiculously expensive for the data volumes normally used by a residential internet connection, and I think you can get some company to put up a dedicated microwave link for something starting at $200/month. I noticed you moved the goalposts in your second comment...
- gojomo 12y ago
  While you are the expert on what's available to you, your situation remains highly atypical. For 2014, the FCC reported 88% of US households had at least 2 fixed-line 3Mbps+ providers – and 98% had 2+ wireless 3MBps+ providers. You should get more options! But FCC regulations on ISPs in multi-provider markets won't help those arrive for you, and could hurt. Those currently $200-a-month LTE/microwave options won't come down in cost faster with more federal restrictions on how the ISPs can charge or cross-subsidize. (I added words about the FCC's "goalpost-moving" but don't know what you mean about me moving goalposts.)
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
_greim_ 12y ago
> By homogenizing service offerings... Not quite homogenous. Providers could still compete on speed.