people trying to watch “Happy Gilmore” on Netflix. Largely a
consequence of monopoly providers, the sluggish service could have
long-term economic consequences for American competitiveness.....It
matters not just for entertainment; an Internet connection is necessary
for people to find and perform jobs, and to do new things in areas like
medicine and education.
“Stop
and let that sink in: Three-quarters of American homes have no
competitive choice for the essential infrastructure for 21st-century
economics and democracy,” Tom Wheeler, chairman of the F.C.C., said in a speech last month.
and let that sink in: Three-quarters of American homes have no
competitive choice for the essential infrastructure for 21st-century
economics and democracy,” Tom Wheeler, chairman of the F.C.C., said in a speech last month.
The situation arose from this conundrum: Left alone, will companies compete, or is regulation necessary?
Why the U.S. Has Fallen Behind in Internet Speed and Affordability - NYTimes.com
If the problem is stemming from economic causes, rather than technological, perhaps the government should do something to prevent the price making attitude apparent in the nearly monopoly like industry. If other countries are seeing greater results with more competitors and lower prices, America should follow here. Anyway, it is debatable if the prices they make are even legal considering the monopoly like behaviors. I agree with Susan Crawford, who says in the article, "The big Internet providers have little reason to upgrade their entire networks to fiber because there has so far been little pressure from competitors or regulators to do so."
ReplyDeleteAs much as I'd like to avoid government interference in the market. I do think some regulation is needed for cable/internet providers. I think the industry needs to become more competitive so industry players are forced to upgrade their services in order to stay relevant. I think the best way to do this is to make it so consumers have more than one or two options when it comes to selecting their cable/internet provider. In the current system, usually areas are dominated by one single provider, so consumers really don't have a choice when it comes to who provides their cable/internet.
ReplyDelete