Comments on: Bandwidth roundtable

Leading figures from the worlds of business, labor and technology give their insights into broadband policy.

[tpobrien]

Competition in Cable Broadband

Mr. Cooper is mistaken when he says there is no competition in Cable Broadband.

In the Houston market, Time Warner Cable hosts three ISPs: Roadrunner, AOL, and Earthlink. I have used both AOL and Earthlink on my cable modem connection.

[jacomo]

AOL and Competitors ISP

Time Warner/AOL are required under FCC rule (Merger) to make 3rd PArty ISP available to their subscribers. I am assuming that there is a timeline on this in which case we will see them revert back to a single offering-their own.

[jacomo]

Reed Hundt

He simply needs to grow up and focus on some positives, he is so much more effective in this mode. He had his chance and now needs to move on

[tpobrien]

Competition in Cable Broadband

Mr. Cooper is mistaken when he says there is no competition in Cable Broadband.

In the Houston market, Time Warner Cable hosts three ISPs: Roadrunner, AOL, and Earthlink. I have used both AOL and Earthlink on my cable modem connection.

[jacomo]

AOL and Competitors ISP

Time Warner/AOL are required under FCC rule (Merger) to make 3rd PArty ISP available to their subscribers. I am assuming that there is a timeline on this in which case we will see them revert back to a single offering-their own.

[jacomo]

Reed Hundt

He simply needs to grow up and focus on some positives, he is so much more effective in this mode. He had his chance and now needs to move on

[NYC Wolf]

The TRUE Problems - No reason to invest & innovate

Why is US lagging behind in broadband? Simple! 3 reasons: 1: Why innovate when you have no reason to? Many cable companies have no real competition. Without competition, theres not much need to innovate. Lets take time warner for example. Why should TW make faster cheaper broadband available when its ONLY competition is the slower DSL? 2: why should TW invest millions of dollars in innovations, while competitors (like those using its system) invest nothing, yet reap the benefits? 3: The MONOPOLY FACTOR! TW offers the slowest broadband of the 3 major cable opperators in NYC, such as RCN, & Cablevision. NONE of these compette with each other, hence no reason to improve/speed up service or lower the cost. & when your ONLY competition is the slower DSL, why bother to be better than the other 2 cable operators? yes, theres satelite, but thats to costly for most city users & only those in areas where nothing else is available will ever get this service. As long as only 1-2 broadband providers can reach a home, there will be little or no innovation, or drop in service costs for consumers. The ONLY true threat to this cable monopoly is Broadband thru the cell network. (currently being tested by verizon in Washington DC) Once this technolgy is deployed nationwide, only then will cable opereators be threatend enough to start investing in faster/cheaper broadband.

[NYC Wolf]

The TRUE Problems - No reason to invest & innovate

Why is US lagging behind in broadband? Simple! 3 reasons: 1: Why innovate when you have no reason to? Many cable companies have no real competition. Without competition, theres not much need to innovate. Lets take time warner for example. Why should TW make faster cheaper broadband available when its ONLY competition is the slower DSL? 2: why should TW invest millions of dollars in innovations, while competitors (like those using its system) invest nothing, yet reap the benefits? 3: The MONOPOLY FACTOR! TW offers the slowest broadband of the 3 major cable opperators in NYC, such as RCN, & Cablevision. NONE of these compette with each other, hence no reason to improve/speed up service or lower the cost. & when your ONLY competition is the slower DSL, why bother to be better than the other 2 cable operators? yes, theres satelite, but thats to costly for most city users & only those in areas where nothing else is available will ever get this service. As long as only 1-2 broadband providers can reach a home, there will be little or no innovation, or drop in service costs for consumers. The ONLY true threat to this cable monopoly is Broadband thru the cell network. (currently being tested by verizon in Washington DC) Once this technolgy is deployed nationwide, only then will cable opereators be threatend enough to start investing in faster/cheaper broadband.