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People in the U.S. Pay More for Slower Internet Than European, Canadian, and Asian Counterparts

posted by janrinok on Sunday October 10 2021, @11:04PM   Printer-friendly
from the I-feel-the-need-for-speed! dept.

upstart writes:

People in the U.S. pay more for slower internet than European, Canadian, and Asian counterparts, according to the Open Technology Institute:

A survey conducted earlier this year by the Pew Research Center found that 7% of Americans lack access to reliable broadband. One reason for this may be how expensive internet access is in the U.S.

"People in the U.S. pay more for slower internet than people abroad," Open Technology Institute policy analyst Claire Park said. "For many consumers, the cost of getting online right now is simply too high and also too complicated."

The Open Technology Institute has been studying the price and speed of internet services advertised within the United States as well as abroad. Its 2020 Cost of Connectivity Report found that the average advertised monthly cost of internet in the U.S. is $68.38, which is higher than the average price of internet access for all of North America, Europe and Asia.

Outdated infrastructure in the U.S. may also be impeding internet access to millions of Americans, and lawmakers have been debating how to increase internet availability and performance.

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  • (Score: 2) by srobert on Monday October 11 2021, @02:08PM (3 children)

    by srobert (4803) on Monday October 11 2021, @02:08PM (#1186134)

    I don't know where Oz is, but I pay $70 for 25 Mbps. In Las Vegas, minimum wage is $9.75 an hour. So for someone on minimum wage that would be over 7 hours. I imagine they'd want a slower speed. And the average wage is on the order of $23 / hr, so about 3 hours work for a month of internet.

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  • (Score: 2) by mcgrew on Monday October 11 2021, @03:02PM (1 child)

    by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Monday October 11 2021, @03:02PM (#1186152) Homepage Journal

    Oz is Australia. Here in Springfield, IL I'm paying AT&T $60/month for 100 mbps. Could have gigabit for an extra ten bucks, but since I'm no longer a gamer I just don't need it.

    As to the minimum wage, that is the root of most of the US's problems. Why is it legal to pay so little that someone working full time is eligible for LINK (formerly Food Stamps), housing assistance, and child care? Food, clothing, shelter, child care should be the employer's responsibility, not the government's. Those benefits benefit employers, not employees.

    --
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  • (Score: 2) by deimtee on Monday October 11 2021, @11:29PM

    by deimtee (3272) on Monday October 11 2021, @11:29PM (#1186313) Journal

    Australia.
    25 Mbps would be a cheaper plan. 2 hours of minimum wage per month. AUD $40, about US $28.

    https://www.whistleout.com.au/Broadband/Cheapest-Internet-Plans [whistleout.com.au]
    Typical internet comparison site for AU plans. Note that all of these plans are mostly available anywhere. The infrastructure is owned by the NBN, who charge ISP's, but not the end customers.

    --
    If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.