4 ms·

Consolidation in this space, in my opinion, is putting the future of the Internet in great jeopardy. I'm not sure exactly where we're heading, but i have a feel

by arielm 11y ago

Consolidation in this space, in my opinion, is putting the future of the Internet in great jeopardy. I'm not sure exactly where we're heading, but i have a feeling the days of a "free" internet are numbered.

IBM 11y ago
Consolidation can also be good because a big cost is acquiring content and a bigger company will have more negotiating power with content owners. And if people just watch TV over the internet, then the internet companies will carry the cost of acquiring content leaving cable companies to invest in infrastructure.
- riffic 11y ago
  I want more options for broadband service providers, not less. I want competition and I want an end to the municipal franchise system. edit: this is actually a more complicated issue and a large part of the blame needs to go to state/local governments who impede progress and competition in broadband infrastructure. http://www.wired.com/2013/07/we-need-to-stop-focusing-on-just-cable-companies-and-blame-local-government-for-dismal-broadband-competition/ http://www.wired.com/2013/07/we-need-to-stop-focusing-on-jus...
jusben1369 11y ago
I do wonder if the cable guys are going to go the way of the telephone landline via mobile. I can already get better speeds on my phone than most cable packages. They just need to increase the amount of traffic I can get and I'd drop the hardline service.
- dimino 11y ago
  They're not even remotely comparable from a reliability or bandwidth standpoint, which is important for high quality streaming content (4k video from Netflix, for example). These things will matter more as high quality content increases in availability. I also suspect you haven't recently tried to upload any amount of volume (photo albums, videos) on your mobile connection. I'd even consider it dangerous to compare the two, because the only folks I've ever seen consider them analogous are the ISPs themselves and only during takeover conversations, and only in reference to monopolies for service in particular areas (Comcast isn't your only option, you could also use your phone!). Not to mention how completely untenable it is to play video games on a mobile connection.
- tw04 11y ago
  >They just need to increase the amount of traffic I can get and I'd drop the hardline service. Which they will literally never do. They have no incentive to. The absurdly low caps allow them to consistently charge overage fees/print money.
  - untog 11y ago
    They have no incentive to. They do, though. I pay ~$50 a month for my cable - if an LTE mobile operator offered a higher cap for even $45 a month it would be tempting to switch over.

by arielm 11y ago

IBM 11y ago

Consolidation can also be good because a big cost is acquiring content and a bigger company will have more negotiating power with content owners. And if people just watch TV over the internet, then the internet companies will carry the cost of acquiring content leaving cable companies to invest in infrastructure.

riffic 11y ago
I want more options for broadband service providers, not less. I want competition and I want an end to the municipal franchise system. edit: this is actually a more complicated issue and a large part of the blame needs to go to state/local governments who impede progress and competition in broadband infrastructure. http://www.wired.com/2013/07/we-need-to-stop-focusing-on-just-cable-companies-and-blame-local-government-for-dismal-broadband-competition/ http://www.wired.com/2013/07/we-need-to-stop-focusing-on-jus...

jusben1369 11y ago

I do wonder if the cable guys are going to go the way of the telephone landline via mobile. I can already get better speeds on my phone than most cable packages. They just need to increase the amount of traffic I can get and I'd drop the hardline service.

dimino 11y ago
They're not even remotely comparable from a reliability or bandwidth standpoint, which is important for high quality streaming content (4k video from Netflix, for example). These things will matter more as high quality content increases in availability. I also suspect you haven't recently tried to upload any amount of volume (photo albums, videos) on your mobile connection. I'd even consider it dangerous to compare the two, because the only folks I've ever seen consider them analogous are the ISPs themselves and only during takeover conversations, and only in reference to monopolies for service in particular areas (Comcast isn't your only option, you could also use your phone!). Not to mention how completely untenable it is to play video games on a mobile connection.
tw04 11y ago
>They just need to increase the amount of traffic I can get and I'd drop the hardline service. Which they will literally never do. They have no incentive to. The absurdly low caps allow them to consistently charge overage fees/print money.
- untog 11y ago
  They have no incentive to. They do, though. I pay ~$50 a month for my cable - if an LTE mobile operator offered a higher cap for even $45 a month it would be tempting to switch over.