Why are US internet prices so high? The answers are many and complex

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The cost for broadband service in the United States is high, and getting higher. In most metropolitan areas of the United States, residents are lucky to have two competing providers from which to choose. A third player in large metro markets is rare, but it's been seen before. The US bishops have argued for greater internet access for all. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops, during the coronavirus pandemic, was a member of an informal coalition that sought to expand access to the internet in unserved and underserved areas. Parents scrambled to find hotspots so their children could do their homework and keep current on their assignments and this led to a lot of fast-food parking lot homework sessions to access the eateries' Wi-Fi. Americans living just beyond an established network were given five-figure quotes by internet service providers to get connected. Assuming one does get internet connectivity, the quality of the experience can be lacking a certain something. Speed, perhaps. Internet service providers boast of "speeds of up to" in their advertising. But rarely if ever do they disclose an average or a median speed for consumers' internet connection. Guaranteeing a speed "floor" seems quaint. One reason for the absence of speed: the lack of net neutrality.


Why are U.S. internet prices so high? The answers are many and complex