A wave of new tech could give you more choice in broadband providers

SpaceX's worldwide network of thousands of orbiting devices that can beam Internet signals down to earth from low orbit, 5G data, and more efficient use of our airwaves -- all these could boost competition in your local broadband market in the coming years. If it pays off, the result may be faster Internet speeds, better service and lower prices.

This potpourri of new technologies could bolster competition in various ways, according to Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project at the New America Foundation. For example, imagine if your local telephone company could set up a wireless 5G hotspot in your neighborhood rather than digging into the ground to lay expensive Internet cables to each house. Since the 5G might be just as good (if not better) than what the cable company offers, customers might benefit from more providers fighting for their loyalty. “For competition it’s particularly good,” said Calabrese, “because it’ll allow these guys to overbuild — in other words, to become a competitive provider at relatively low capital cost.”