Oh Wait, Now That We're Slower, Speed No Longer Matters...
from the it-all-depends-on-what-you're-good-at dept
Everything is relative, it seems. A year and a half ago, when the battle lines were really being drawn for cable modems vs. DSL in the US, the DSL players all started dropping their prices, while the cable guys believed that higher speeds would allow them to charge a premium. For the most part, that hasn't been the case. However, this situation gets more problematic now that the telcos are installing fiber, and are poised to leapfrog cable in the speed game. So, it should come as no surprise that suddenly cable is changing its tune. Broadband Reports notes that a cable company representative is now downplaying the importance of speed in an internet connection. No, this time, the important factor is the ever-ambiguous services. "We like to say that it's not just the speed, but what you can do with it." That's not what you were saying a year ago... Besides, how many people actually buy their broadband based on the "services" the provider offers?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
No Subject Given
But since I don't want these "services", lower the prices.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
speed vs services
I still chose DSL. Why? Choice. With DSL, I get to choose my ISP from a list of several dozen local providers.
With cable I get two choices: take it, or leave it.
Speed really isn't everything.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The CableCos may have something after all...
And the CableCos are right in that the big benefit isn't the speed: It's the persistent connection. As Mike noted in another article, when my kids ask why the sky is blue I just sit down at my always-on computer and ask Google. No POST, no dialup, no waiting. I don't care if Google responds at 300 kb/s, 1.5 Mb/s or faster. What I like is the instant, continuous access to a Big Fat Pipe (or even a Moderately Plump Pipe).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
DSL or Cable ?
Both DSL and cable are cosy prohibitive - especially after the taxes are added on. Revolt!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]