Noncable internet providers offer broadband speed to just 22 percent of the population in poor areas
When noncable internet providers — outlets like AT&T or Verizon — choose which communities to offer the fastest connections, they don’t juice up their networks so everyone in their service areas has the option of buying quicker speeds. Instead, they tend to favor the wealthy over the poor, according to an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity.
The Center’s data analysis found that the largest noncable internet providers collectively offer faster speeds to about 40 percent of the population they serve nationwide in wealthy areas compared with just 22 percent of the population in poor areas. That leaves tens of millions of Americans with the choice of either purchasing an expensive connection from the only provider in their area, typically a cable company, or just doing the best they can with slower speeds. Middle-income areas don’t fare much better, with a bit more than 27 percent of the population having access to a DSL provider’s fastest speeds. The Center reached its conclusions by merging the latest Federal Communications Commission data with income information from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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It costs more to provide faster speeds so the companies have to charge more for those faster speeds. The fact that poorer communities can't afford the faster speeds may have a lot to do with the companies not paying the expense to provide the infrastructure. Oh that's right the rich and the middle class are supposed to subsidize the cost of the infrastructure to recompense for our white privilege.
ReplyDeletedsl is slow speed
ReplyDeletefiber is the higher speed, very expensive to build out
it goes where people are more likely to buy it
but hey, at least people have access to something
unlike much of the shore where there is no internet
can't wait to pay the extra surcharge to cover the speed discrimination lawsuits :(
ReplyDeleteCenter for Public Integrity (CPI)...hmmm. Bunch of geniuses figured this out??
ReplyDeleteWell, splain to me Lucy (CPI), why no Verizon in OC or Ocean Pines (maybe 5 or 6 more years)???? Comsuck is awful!
202, If you had a landline, you have DSL available to you. Works fine. There's also Bloosurf antenna available.
ReplyDeleteUhhhh..no. If you have a land line and you are within a certain distance of a Verizon CO Switch DSL may be available to you at varying speeds depending on the distance. A landline doesn't guarantee you can get DSL service.
DeleteVerizon DSL has no available "lines" or slots, so you have to wait until someone cancels their service to try and get one.
ReplyDelete"Call back and check every Tuesday" is their response.
Hughesnet Satellite is my only other internet option, since Comcast wants to charge me $11,000 to run a line down my driveway, and I live too far out for Bloosurf.
48K dial up was faster that Hughesnet.
We need more options.
ReplyDeleteVerizon makes you pay for the enhanced connection but you end up with the slowest speed in that category. Politians allow them the freedom to do what they want, It is as bad now as when Politians made them break-up into smaller companies. Just like the Oil industry on price fixing. Politians allow the Telecommunication, Insurance Companies, Energy Companies to monopolize / price fixing instead of oversight of their charges.
ReplyDelete6:09, politicians? With multiple choices of services, it seems natural competition would dictate.Please explain.
ReplyDeletePoliticians get "perks" if you know what I mean! Comsuck loves giving perks, hence they are the only game in town! (minus Dish or Direct TV, but that really looks nice off balconies!)
ReplyDelete