Bulk Bandwidth Prices Get Steadier After Long Swoon

The relentless drop in prices for Internet bandwidth has slowed sharply, offering a glimmer of hope to a telecom industry still struggling with the aftermath of a bust nearly a decade and a half ago.

Wholesale prices for bandwidth in network hubs like New York, London and São Paulo fell 10% or less in the year ended in June, according to industry researcher TeleGeography. That counts as good news for the companies selling long-haul Internet service, as it put the brakes on steep annual declines that have averaged as much as 34% in previous years. The prices aren't the ones that consumers pay and likely won't affect them. Instead, they come from deals that big companies cut to handle the huge loads of Internet traffic.