broadband

This stimulus program saves you money every month and almost no one knows about it

November 11th, 2021

Andy Meek

Most of the attention to the stimulus-related help provided by the federal government during the economically devastating coronavirus pandemic has rightfully focused on the stimulus checks handed out by Uncle Sam. Millions of Americans got $3,200 in total from three one-off checks. And millions of Americans are also getting as much as a few thousand …

Business

Boost Mobile founder wants to build a $10-a-month home broadband service from Sprint’s ashes

July 17th, 2018

Chris Mills

The T-Mobile Sprint merger has drawn its fair share of detractors from across the political spectrum, but none have been as outspoken as Peter Adderton, Boost Mobile’s founder. Adderton sold Boost Mobile to the company that would eventually become Sprint over a decade ago, but the proposed merger — which he claims would be the end …

Business

Comcast is charging $90 to plug in your modem and I’m not even angry any more

May 16th, 2018

Chris Mills

There’s only so many times that you can write about Comcast acting like a rent–seeking monopolist before reaching the point where nothing will surprise you any more, and I think I’m there. Ars Technica reports that Comcast is charging new customers an “installation fee” of $60 to $90 to set up standalone internet or TV service, even …

Politics

San Jose mayor quits FCC committee on local internet, claiming Big Telecom runs the panel

January 26th, 2018

Chris Mills

Last year, the new-look Federal Communications Commission under Trump-appointed chairman Ajit Pai founded an advisory committee to examine the deployment of high-speed internet access. The Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee was supposed to bring together ISPs, technology companies, and local communities to work out how to get everyone online cheaply. But according to San Jose’s mayor, …

Best ISP for home broadband: municipal service vs cable

Business

Shocker: Community-owned broadband is cheaper and better than Big Cable

January 16th, 2018

Chris Mills

This is another one of those pieces of news you’re going to need to take sitting down: Big cable companies are not, in fact, Good. For all of the supposed advantages that giant, nationwide cable providers are meant to have — better R&D, economies of scale, vast customer-service centers — a new study from Harvard …

Business

Get ready for home internet prices to double

October 7th, 2017

Chris Mills

Been enjoying your reasonably-priced home internet connection recently? Don’t get too comfortable. US cable companies, led by Comcast, are all set to start increasing broadband prices dramatically, with price hikes of double current rates expected in the future. That’s the conclusion of New Street Research and analyst Jonathan Chaplin, who released a new report that’s good news …

Nothing is more annoying than home internet outages, and now there’s a study that proves it

May 19th, 2015

Zach Epstein

You toss a packet of popcorn into your microwave and drop a bag of chamomile slowly into a mug of hot water. The couch is calling your name as the microwave begins beeping to let you know that the piping hot buttery popcorn inside is ready to be devoured. With your popcorn bowl overflowing in one hand …

Where you should live if you want America’s fastest Internet service

October 23rd, 2014

Brad Reed

What parts of America have the fastest broadband connections? The short answer is “Delaware.” The slightly longer answer is “somewhere in the northeastern U.S.” The Connectivist has posted data of peak connection speeds for every state in America and has found that the fastest services are in the eastern part of the country, led by Delaware …

Yet another study shows American broadband is ridiculously expensive

October 28th, 2013

Brad Reed

No, you’re not hallucinating if you think you’re paying too much for your monthly broadband plan. A new study from the Google-sponsored New America Foundation shows that broadband prices in major American cities are much higher than prices in comparable cities overseas, despite the fact that the more expensive American plans don’t deliver any significant …

How the British are rebelling against rising mobile prices

October 23rd, 2013

Brad Reed

The British are giving their mobile carriers the Guy Fawkes treatment. Per Which?, the United Kingdom’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) announced this week that it will let mobile customers ditch contracts without penalty if their carriers decide to jack up prices. An Ofcom representative said that the agency is “making it clear that any increase …