“Did you know the state of Michigan only lets you build a network if enough private companies don’t bid? Florida requires local officials to explain how their network will be profitable within four years, as if profits were the point of fixing the digital divide. Nevada will only let towns and counties with tiny populations erect their own networks. Virginia local networks aren’t allowed to charge less than the incumbents — it’s illegal to make the internet more affordable!”
The level of rot within the ISP industry at the fed, state, and private level is holding back to the US from expanding internet coverage across the country especially rural areas.
America’s geography makes it much more difficult to reach the level of fiber coverage that other western countries currently have, but let’s not kid ourselves in thinking that ISP companies and regulators have been trying to solve this problem.
It’s so messed up. I live in a town (not out of town) of 100,000 people, and I have 3 options for Internet: cable, DSL (topping off at a handful of Mbs because I’m 16,000 feet out, somehow), and wireless (expensive, low-bandwidth). Not sure if Starlink is here, but that’s also not great.
So I have basically one realistic option. The one company offering residential fiber doesn’t seem to have any desire to retrofit any existing neighborhoods.
I’d love for the city to come in and start threatening fiber all over town just to kick the private sector’s ass into gear.
Can confirm, here in Michigan. Only one ISP can run lines to a given address, because it’s “bad” to have more than one service. And sharing of infrastructure is not even close to required.
Late last year I switched from 100/10Mbps Comcast ($90/mo) to 600/60Mbps TMobile ($50/mo). CGNAT sucks, but I’ve managed to find ways around it.
I sincerely hope T-Mobile & Verizon 5G scare the ISPs enough to make Comcast & Charter actually decide to be competitive.
Lucky. I am waiting VERY patiently for any of those two to move in to my area.
It really is unfortunate all throughout if you live outside any major metro areas. I live in a town where there is only one ISP due to regulations listed in the article.
Monthly fees for internet is unnecessarily high for low (but adequate) speeds. The whole thing is anti-consumer.
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