Why Your Phone, Cable & Internet Bills Cost So Much

[J P Sousa]

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/why-phone-cable-internet-bills-cost-much-130914030.html

The U.S. has fallen behind much of the Western world when it comes to phone, cable and Internet service. Americans actually pay much more for inferior service compared to their global counterparts.

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  â€¢Americans pay four times as much as the French for an Internet triple-play package—phone, cable TV and Internet—at an average of $160 per month versus $38 per month.  

Say what ?

At one time, AT&T had a monopoly and was required to break up. Now "AT&T and Verizon control 60% of phone service in America". Going back to a monopoly ?
.

[IassaFTots]

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/why-phone-cable-internet-bills-cost-much-130914030.html

Say what ?
.

That doesn't surprise me.  They picked up the traveling-with-your-cell-phone-attached-to-you think a lot quicker than we did.  I would imagine the infrastruture went up quicker too.

[NHSparky]

Fact is, if cable companies were FORCED to compete, or if we could pick channels "ala carte", cable prices would in fact come way down.  Ditto if we charged for Internet usage by the GB rather than a flat fee.

[thundley4]

Fact is, if cable companies were FORCED to compete, or if we could pick channels "ala carte", cable prices would in fact come way down.  Ditto if we charged for Internet usage by the GB rather than a flat fee.

Cities make too much money from franchise fees from the cable companies.  Cable companies were pushing for various taxes on the satellite companies because they were losing so many customers to them.