200kbps No Longer Considered Broadband In The US
from the welcome-to-the-slow-lane dept
It took them long enough, but the FCC has finally made the change, saying that 768kbps is now the low-end cut off to be considered broadband. This change was announced back in March -- at which point the FCC still ignored its own recommendation and released broadband data that kept the 200kbps cutoff. However, as of last Friday, those of you surfing below 768kbps (which, unfortunately, seems to include my home DSL connection) are officially kicked out of the broadband pool. Welcome to the slow lane.
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
Broadband Prices?
Speaking of which, what're the average rates there in the US? Here in India, we're still in the dark ages when it comes to broadband, with residential customers having to pay through their nose if they want 'high' speeds.
Here's a look at what we pay on average (taxes included, latest conversion rates applied):
256 Kbps (kilobits/sec) Unlimited - ~$19.64
384 Kbps Unlimited - ~$26.16
512 Kbps Unlimited - ~$39.25
1 Mbps Unlimited - ~$58.18
Beyond this, there are no unlimited plans that I know of, except for corporate plans which are prohibitively expensive. Speeds also go up to max 8 Mbps for residential customers, with plans like the following being our upper limit:
8 Mbps, 100 GB Limited - ~$523.62
I heard Verizon Wireless provides up to 50 Mbps connections for residential customers in the US? What I'd love to know are the current rates being paid by you guys over in the US (and for others, in their respective countries) for the purposes of comparison.
P.S. Keep in mind that Comcast-culture (torrent blocking etc.) still hasn't infected Indian ISPs (though we're dreading the advent of crap like SandVine etc. which is bound to happen sooner or later when they take a leaf out of American ISPs' books. :( ) So when I say 'unlimited', it truly is as unlimited as is practically possible.
P.P.S. Re. speeds, good ISPs here generally promise (and deliver) 80%+ of the rated speeds. So 256 Kbps = 32 KBps (kilobytes/sec) results in an average speed at home of ~30 KBps+ (and similarly for higher speeds).
P.P.P.S. 'Service' is a misnomer here, with very few ISPs bothering to provide even a minimally acceptable level of service once they've signed you up and started charging you (that never stops BTW, come what may!)
So, what's your 'broadband' experience like?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Broadband Prices? #2
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices? #2
$19.99 - 256kbps
$39.99 - 3mpbs
Cable in cities is:
$40ish for around 8mpbs
And fiber can be found in major cities:
$55ish for 15mpbs
$140ish for 30mpbs
In my experience you will receive mediocre service from customer support. But you generally won't need it.
And you'll get about 80% of the advertised speeds.
However, some times you can upgrade to a commercial package for a few bucks more, or at times less with a phone bundle, and receive amazing support along with 100%+ the advertised speeds and NO THROTTLING. I have a business bundle along with my phone lines and find that I'm saving about $10 per month. Again, I live in the boonies.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices? #2
Quick get some lawyers on this idea STAT!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Broadband Prices?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices?
So yeah, for some people here 200kbps could still be considered quick.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices?
In Ghana this what we pay for "Broadband"
128 Kpbps Download,32 kbps upload = $43/month
256 Kpbps Download,64 kbps upload = $63/month
512 Kpbps Download,128 kbps upload = $184/month
1024 Kpbps Download,256 kbps upload = $231/month
All these are unlimited/uncapped whatever you wanna call it
And we pay happily for it. I am even about to upgrade to the $184/month service. Some other (wireless) providers charge about $2.50/hour.
Thank your stars
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices?
200 kbps made a lot of sense for the "broadband borderline". 200kbps means that one was getting their service by a technology other than traditional dial-up or ISDN. In residential settings, it means that one is getting DSL or Cable Modem service.
"Speaking of which, what're the average rates there in the US? Here in India, we're still in the dark ages when it comes to broadband, with residential customers having to pay through their nose if they want 'high' speeds." a 200kbps line will support a good quality voip service, and will be fine for basic web browsing, but large downloads and video won't be good.
Basic DSL service is usually provided by the phone companies over their twisted pair infrastructure and typically costs about $20 a month for a 728 kps to 1.5Mbps download bandwidth. Depending on ones distance from the phone company's central office, and the quality of the line, that speed might degrade some. These speeds start to support video.
Cable Modem service is traditionally much faster, and is delivered by the cable TV companies over their coaxial cable infrastructure. Service typically costs $30 to $50 a month, depending on whether the service is bundled with a TV package. Speeds are typically 5Mbps download. Video and large downloads are well supported. Cable based internet is typically deployed so that a substantial number of homes share a single data channel back to the cable company's "central office". If the cable company has over-deployed in one's neighborhood, one may only get 1Mbps during peek usage times.
Verizon is building out a new infrastructure - FiOS - to support cable TV, phone service, and internet on "fiber to the premises". The fiber goes to a distribution box at a home or apartment, then the signals are converted to twisted pair for telephone, coax cable for TV and internet. Fiber is not durable enough to string directly to a set-top box or modem, but since the runs of coax are much shorter (less than 100 feet instead of thousands) they can carry much more data. This system typically supports download speed of 20Mbps to 50Mbps and price plans are competitive with the cable companies'.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Broadband Prices?
I currently am paying $40/mo for 5/2mbps...630/230kb/s
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
my so called broadband
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: my so called broadband
Where's this "monopolized area" you live in?
What I want to know is, how can companies be so bullish about Web 2.0, rich internet apps, SaaS, browser as an OS (see recent topic on TD) etc., when a vast majority of people are not even connected, and even those who are, have to deal with dial-up speeds at stratospheric prices from monopolies who couldn't give a damn about the customer?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: my so called broadband
this area is in south east Oklahoma and is Calera, Ok. to be correct. the company is called Cherokee Telephone company. it claims to have up to 6mbps I've done online test and personal test I see during the day almost a 100kbps to almost 120kbps peak. Now at night during the week is see up to 150kbps but this is after midnight. and I don't even bother getting on during the weekend. this company who owns the power line wont allow for other bigger companies to come in and help with the issues we have with the lines.
if you could help let me know.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: my so called broadband
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Cellular data rate
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Cellular data rate
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
UK speed/price
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: UK speed/price
Did you complete the survey they sent around recently? They were asking questions about what we'd think if they introduced traffic shaping or throttling - I responded quite simply - I'll quit Be and go elsewhere.
Hopefully they'll get the message.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
prices in Australia
I have only just upgraded from dial-up, which was unlimited for $20 a month or just $10 if you put the phone on with them. Therefore I don't know all the deals but having unlimited broadband plans in Australia is very rare. Paying $50 for 1 or 2 gig, was very common between 2005 - 2007 in Australia, but I could be wrong. It depends on the conditions, eg some require fees if you download over the limit.
Even in big cities our telephone exchanges need upgrading for the higher speeds, so we have a long way to go, despite being one of the top internet using countries. Note the Aus dollar is now worth about 95% of US dollar.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
(dollarprices are converted by google)
D: 1.6 MBit
U: 500 Kbit
Euro: 19,95
Dollar: 30,88
D: 4 MBit
U: 1 Mbit
Euro: 29,95
Dollar: 46,35
D: 12 MBit
U: 1.5 MBit
Euro: 47,95
Dollar: 74,21
D: 20 MBit
U: 2 MBit
Euro: 69,95
Dollar: 108,26
That's all without any bandwidth caps or anything. You can use as much as you like.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Oh, for a bit and a byte of data I crave...
P.S. Though apparently, the Japanese and even the Europeans (Gaz, Dutch AC et al) have the US beat in this regard... (w.r.t. broadband penetration, speeds and dirt cheap prices).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Some family and friends go up to Ellicotville NY to ski (hour below Buffalo/Niagara). Only internet was long distance dial up and only a fool would turn on the tv and expect cable. Basically if you didn't have a dish you were good screwed.
OH USA mixed providers:
128kbs @ $9-14.99 Everyone I think.. -- used it - crap
356kbs @ $49.99 RR -- used it - rip
1mbs @ $70.ish "Business Class" RR -- used it - jip
3mbs @ $86.ish "Business Class" RR -- used it - WTF!
Isn't this like asking someone what their pay rate is. At least to the cable company it is.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hughes ($300 upfront equipment)
700 Kbps - $60
1.0 Mbps - $70
1.5 Mbps - $80
2.0 Mbps - $120
3.0 Mbps - $190
AT&T
$20 - Limit 5MB
$25 - Limit 10MB
$35 - Limit 20MB
$45 - Limit 50MB
$60 - Limit 5GB
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That makes me sad to call myself an American
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: That makes me sad to call myself an American
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: That makes me sad to call myself an American
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
WOW you peopple pay alot
1.5 Mbps $29.99
7Mbps $36.99
12Mbps $46.99
20Mbps $99.99
all of thoes are unlimited and sory I don't know what the up speed is but I think that the up speed for the 1.5Mbps is 756kbps. And it is very open its just an internet conection. The modem that they give you is not rediculously expencive. And the service from them (qwest) is great.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Even broadband isn't
They come out and do a test that says we're getting 900k, and the guy says, "Well that's what you get." I said, look, "I understand if "up to.." means I get a fraction of the speed most of the time, but right now I'm getting a fraction of your 256k, you show me at a fraction of 1Mbps, and I'm paying the rate for a fraction of 3Mbps." I get the whole fraction thing - just give me the fraction that I'm paying for!!"
"Well, sir in your area..."
"Oh, nononono, it doesn't say slower in some areas. It says faster in some areas. Give me what I'm paying for."
"Well, umm...I'm going to have to pass your ticket on to a level 3 tech, blah, blah, blah"
==> Rip-off
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
But when you are in an area like mine...
My home connection is 768k down/256k up for $27 per month with phone service including additional services such as caller ID required in order to receive that rate. Where I work we pay $300 per month for "Business Class" DSL at 1.5M down/1.5M up. I put that in quotes because I honestly can't find anything that separates it from their other offerings, other than the simple fact that it has a static IP and synchronous download/upload speeds. Yes that was 1.5M, not 15M, and it is the highest upload speed that is offered. Download speeds up to an advertised 6M are available, but those go with a 1M upload speed.
The service is terrible. To them tech support consists entirely of telling you to power cycle your router and sending a ping. If the ping makes the round-trip then they tell you that you that there are no problems. Worst tech support ever.
To top it all off there is apparently only one single, non-redundant fiber line coming in to the county as our backbone. So when this one line goes down (which happens nearly every winter due to storms) the ENTIRE COUNTY is completely disconnected.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hilarious
I have had no less than 512kbps service at a minimum for the last ten years, via cable, DSL or wireless at various locations in Canada from the big city of Calgary right down to a small Native American village of 1500 residents in northern BC.
TEN YEARS!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Braodband
there are other palns also...like 256 kbps unlimited @ 15$
2 mbps with night unlimited is very popular here....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]