U.S. Broadband Problems Exaggerated?
The U.S. is currently ranked 11th in the world in broadband penetration, and some critics of the country's progress in this area claim the "duopoly" of cable and DSL is the problem. The folks at C|Net don't seem to agree, and frankly neither do I.
Some more rural parts of the country may not have many options for broadband, but here in the Northeast, I have a choice of using DSL, Cable, Fiber-Optic-To-Home, or satellite. And prices aren't all that bad considering the speeds available.
"While the U.S. does lag 11 other countries in broadband penetration, international comparisons must be considered carefully. The Pew survey found that the average price of residential DSL service decreased from $38 per month in February 2004 to $32 per month by December 2005. Some evidence suggests prices may have fallen further still, with Verizon Communications, AT&T, Comcast, and others offering service plans at less than $20 per month. And as prices fall, providers are upgrading connections and investing in new infrastructure to provide higher speeds to consumers."
