Competition could cost US Internet Service Providers $24 Billion a year

Point Topic, a United Kingdom research firm which gathers worldwide data on broadband prices, said that if the US market were truly competitive, its Internet service providers would lose $2 billion in revenue each month.

Currently, US customers spend $5.27 billion a month based on Point Topic’s report. The report is mostly a thought exercise instead of a reaction to a definitive policy change, but it does make a compelling argument that US consumers pay the price for the current broadband duopoly we have in most markets. It also noted that the US is no longer the largest broadband market -- that distinction now belongs to China, which is what the analyst is comparing the US market against. The thought exercise ends with a pretty damning conclusion -- that the lack of competition and subsequent high price for broadband has hindered adoption and is beyond where it should be compared to other wealthy countries where broadband is cheaper.