• shalafi@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Can’t speak to Comcast’s evils, but I call my ISP once a year to ask about my speeds and bill. Just got bumped from 200/20 to 1000/?, with a $10 discount. I’m on the edge of town, not technically rural, but close enough.

    Not sure the answer to the monopoly thing, but I used to be an internet cable guy, so I can speak to the complexity of having 2 providers where there was only one. The costs are staggering.

    • Baron Von J@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Not sure the answer to the monopoly thing,

      • make it a publicly owned and operated municipal utility
      • make the “last mile” publicly owned infrastructure and private service providers can connect to the data center that connects the last mile
      • require that the company who owns and maintains the last mile can not also be a service provider over that last mile infrastructure

      The last one is how Texas handles the power grid, so it would need a real regulatory body making sure the private last mile infrastructure is actually maintained, unlike the Texas power grid.

      • Mdotaut801@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Currently in Utah with a city that offers municipal fiber. 1gb up, 1gb down for $60 per month. Luckily my city does that and many things right, I wish others would follow. My buddy who lives 10 min away in another city has comcast and whatever century link calls themselves these days.

          • Mdotaut801@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            That’s so unfortunate! If you scroll down and read about Utah, it talks a little bit about the formation of Utopia fiber. That’s what I have and it’s great. It’s kind of interesting because I pay 2 places for my internet service. $30 per month to Utopia Fiber, and then $30 to an isp (I utilize xmission). Not sure if situations like that are normal for municipal internet service or if it’s a loophole to get around the restrictions somehow? No idea.