My ISP can Kiss my ***

[Fanatic 64]

Seriously, I pay around $60 - 70$ USD just for my 15 Mbps Internet. And around another $40 - $50 for TV (1 TV Box with the basic-most package, no HDTV or other fancy stuff + Analog (direct RF cable) on my room's TV). I don't even know how much I'm paying for the phone. Until now I've been somewhat content with what I have, that is, until I came across this:

https://fiber.google.com/

What is it, you may ask? In overly-simplified terms, is Internet & TV by Google. But what is so special about it? Well, you should take a look at their packages:

"Slow" Internet: It's plain 5 Mbps Internet. There's a little bit about it, trough: You pay the $300 initial subscription fee, and onwards you pay $0 monthly fee. That's right, it's free after the initial payment. If I could do that with my current provider I would probably use the money to get HD cable...

(Extremely) Fast Internet: It's the "Premium" version, you pay the initial $300, then a $70 monthly fee. The difference between this and my current Internet package, however, is the speed. While for that price my provider offers me 15 Mbps, Google offers -sit down- 1 Gbps Internet!!! That's right, one Gigabit per second, or 128 Megabytes per second. Delusional, don't you think? This is because of their implementation of Optic Fiber, which is much faster than the cable that goes into your modem. But that's not all...

Internet + TV: It's the above, plus cable service, for the same initial fee and $120 monthly fee. The difference between my TV, however, is that it offers all-HD channels, without prohibitively expensive additional fees. I mean damn, HD cable is just gorgeous.

Really, as soon as I saw that, I immediately felt like I've been flushing money down my toilet

The reason I didn't rush to cancel my current service, however, is because it currently is only available in Kansas, Texas (and coming to Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah). That just felt like a kick in the balls But I swear if someday it launches in my city I'll instantly head over to cancel my current service, because I never though about what some people are getting for what I pay...

So, just wanted to let you know, because it feels so bad... Well, I advise you just check to make sure you aren't paying for overpriced Internet! :vampire:

(Yeah it may sound as advertisement or spam but I'm being super-serious here. I would really like to have it! )

 

[NES_player4LIFE]

Google offers internet service O_0.

 

[Fanatic 64]

Google offers internet service O_0.

And a very fast one. And relatively cheap. And HD cable...

 

[Toasty]

Yeah, it's an excellent deal provided you live in one of the two or so towns that has it. Sadly, a lot of us are like you, stuck with ISPs who'd rather line their pockets than improve their infrastructure. But I count myself lucky to at least have a couple 'big' ISPs in our small town. Our town's little local ISPs are beyond incompetent. One of them has no clue the 90's are over and still has a 1GB/month cap on their standard plan. (Don't worry -- each additional GB only costs $15!) Our other local ISP has been hacked multiple times, serving some nasty porn (and probably all sorts of malware) to half the town on every web page they requested for like a week at a time. Neither ISP even gives you a public IP address -- you're stuck behind their NAT, which causes no shortage of problems with games and P2P applications.

Compared to that, I don't mind paying $40/month to the big corporations for our relatively safe, fully featured and uncapped 10 Mbps connection.

 

[Agozer]

I thought I'd chip in, since you gyus are talking about Internet connections and speeds in the US. From what I've been reading and hearing, ISPs in the US keep talking about problems and cost of expanding the existing infrastucture, data caps, and what have you. Also, judging by Fanatics's post, there are some serious issues with pricing and availability, regardless of what ISP is under scrutiny.

Is there any more to all this? I'm interested in hearing more details, since Scandinavia is quite a ways different than the US. Sure, my country is way smaller and we have our own challenges with ISPs, but at least I can pay around 14€ (~18$) for a 50Mbps connection.

 

[ExtremeDude2]

I just complain and they give me better stuff for free :3

 

[Fanatic 64]

^ Maybe I should threaten my provider with Google Fiber coming to my town and saying that I'll switch to them if they don't start giving me HD cable... With luck they won't realize that's false (on the other hand, they may suspend my service... guess it's not worth risking it...).

But yeah, I guess it's better than the $30 dial-up 1## Kbps Internet some local ISPs provide (coupled with public channels for $20 extra/month).

 

[Toasty]

I thought I'd chip in, since you gyus are talking about Internet connections and speeds in the US. From what I've been reading and hearing, ISPs in the US keep talking about problems and cost of expanding the existing infrastucture, data caps, and what have you. Also, judging by Fanatics's post, there are some serious issues with pricing and availability, regardless of what ISP is under scrutiny.

Is there any more to all this? I'm interested in hearing more details, since Scandinavia is quite a ways different than the US. Sure, my country is way smaller and we have our own challenges with ISPs, but at least I can pay around 14€ (~18$) for a 50Mbps connection.

Like I said, we live in a small town (pop. ~2,500) far away from any larger or even equally sized city, and pay about $40 USD/month for 10 Mbps. I'm guessing that's probably pretty close to average in the US, perhaps a little below. In/near larger cities, more options will be available and there may be better deals to be had, but in even more rural areas the opposite is true. Much of the US is pretty sparse compared to most Eurasian nations, so there are a lot more opportunities for companies to monopolize and gouge customers here, I'd imagine. It also means there's a lot more variation in what's available. In one big city, you might have Google and their fiber, but that doesn't do much for the people 500 miles away who drive 25 miles to find the nearest grocery store.

The mentality of US ISPs is pretty much the same as with most greedy technology companies: The technological feasibility of massive improvements is irrelevant; improve the product/service as slowly as you can without losing customers to the competition. When you're the only ISP that offers decent internet to the citizens of Backwater Town #1576, you can pretty much charge them as much as you feel like without giving a thought to upgrading your infrastructure. Chances are, even if you're competing with another big ISP, they'll have the same mindset.

(on the other hand, they may suspend my service...

Extremely unlikely. If you call threatening to cancel, they will undoubtedly try to persuade you not to, probably with some sort of incentive that costs them less than losing you. I'd be amazed if they reacted by suspending your service (unless you really insist that they cancel it, in which case they have to), because that would be a strong disincentive for you to keep throwing money at them.

 

[Cyberman]

I would not trust any service from google. As is they dig through your Gmail emails and use it to mine "their data" to profile you. Currently they are selling anyones data to organizations.

So what's wrong with that? Hmmm 1984 ring a bell?

Anyhow they intend to sell information about what data you are accessing through the internet. Remember google DOESN'T just make money by advertising they also make money by SELLING you.

So ... their is no free lunch. As for TV ... I would dump the TV you don't need it. I don't watch TV at all anymore. (That is flushing time down the toilet )

I don't know if you need 15mbps ... erstwhile it seems everyone is trying to EAT everyone elses lunch these days. Google Inet though is paid by them scanning your data. Just warning you ahead of time.

Remember GOOGLE is NOT your friend, just like a whole lot of other companies aren't.

Cyb

 

[Fanatic 64]

Wow, you're really paranoid...

As to why I need (or rather want) 15 Mbps Internet, well, lets just say that I don't want to beta-test YouTube's new 144p resolution...

And I've in fact considering cancelling TV, but the problem with that is:
1. If I don't have TV, my provider will charge me extra for the Internet.
2. I don't really watch TV either... except for that new series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", which admittedly I want to watch (Phil Coulson FTW) and I'm not half-assed enough to pirate it (although watching stuff in analog NTSC these days is just awful...).

 

[Cyberman]

Err how is being aware of what people are doing parinoid?

Google sells your data, aren't you aware of that? They have been tracking people for over a decade, how do you think they got into trouble several times with the US government? (think stalker laws)

Hadn't you noticed if you used gmail 7-8 years ago the advertisements changing based on what you were typing? Parinoid? Why do you think they have the new "login" on sites using your gmail ID? Convience or profiling you to sell your data to companies who want to bombard you with advertisements for yet more stuff you don't need (or want). They do it to track what you do to SELL your information to whoever wants it. They are a business not a charity.

I guess if you watch a lot of you tube that works. I don't use flash (disabled the plugin and blocked it as well), apart from a security risk (heh) it's just annoying. So I grab the whole video and wait. That forces me to QC first then view it (if no one likes a video it's less likely to be something I want to see). Of course I run linux so ... that works for me. Don't know about how you handle security etc. I watch whoever is trying to run scripts etc at all times. I block a lot of garbage that way.

Cyb

 

[Toasty]

Eh, I know Google isn't some fairy godmother out to shower us with gifts without asking anything in return, and there are plenty of things they've done that have irked me. But when it comes down to it, their motives are at least fairly transparent. They aren't so much interested in who people are as much as they are in monetizing people. And they continue to innovate new ways to automate that process. I don't really care that Google's servers can rummage through my mail, figure out that I like video games and then present video game ads to me. In return I get convenient and spacious e-mail, and it beats erectile dysfunction ads. And often, their admittedly self-serving innovation has collateral benefits for the internet, entertainment and tech worlds. Compared with other humongous companies, I'd say Google usually comes out being the lesser of two evils.

Of course, I whitelist scripts/embedded objects, long-lived cookies and third-party cookies too, so I probably tend to breathe easier than an informed person who uses default browser settings. :satisfied

 

[Cyberman]

Eh, I know Google isn't some fairy godmother out to shower us with gifts without asking anything in return, and there are plenty of things they've done that have irked me. But when it comes down to it, their motives are at least fairly transparent. They aren't so much interested in who people are as much as they are in monetizing people. And they continue to innovate new ways to automate that process. I don't really care that Google's servers can rummage through my mail, figure out that I like video games and then present video game ads to me. In return I get convenient and spacious e-mail, and it beats erectile dysfunction ads. And often, their admittedly self-serving innovation has collateral benefits for the internet, entertainment and tech worlds. Compared with other humongous companies, I'd say Google usually comes out being the lesser of two evils.

Of course, I whitelist scripts/embedded objects, long-lived cookies and third-party cookies too, so I probably tend to breathe easier than an informed person who uses default browser settings. :satisfied

Yeah you have a point about the ED and you forgot prothalus enlargement adds. Oddly one girl I know said "you would think if I took this ... I would have a ... the size of the empire state building!"



Still I don't trust them, having been burned too many times by people doing that I guess.

 

[Fanatic 64]

I'll limit to say it would probably be awfully expensive for Google to monitor and sort each and every thing you do with your Internet, specially with such high speed (and the subsequent high amount of traffic from you).

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

The reason I didn't rush to cancel my current service, however, is because it currently is only available in Kansas, Texas (and coming to Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah). That just felt like a kick in the balls

So typical of FTTH. Sounds a lot like Fios! (Only in a few cities!)

The ISP I'm with in Vermont has its equivalent coming shortly!

In New England, Fios is only available in Massachusetts, maybe Connecticut, maybe Rhode Island and maybe in Burlington, Vt.

Not looking good for Verizon! If Verizon wants to pwn Comcast!

But, the only independently owned ISP in Vermont, which is also based in the same town I'm in, came to the rescue! When set up correctly, it will decimate Comcast!

 

[Martin]

Google Fiber, never heard of it I like the monthly fee though

Over here the prices and speeds are pretty good depending on where you live in the country. Just got a note about a month ago in the mail that they're going to install fiber soon, possibly this year or next in our place. Then I'll only have to pay about half for my 100 Mbit/s connection.

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

I thought I'd chip in, since you gyus are talking about Internet connections and speeds in the US. From what I've been reading and hearing, ISPs in the US keep talking about problems and cost of expanding the existing infrastucture, data caps, and what have you. Also, judging by Fanatics's post, there are some serious issues with pricing and availability, regardless of what ISP is under scrutiny.

Is there any more to all this? I'm interested in hearing more details, since Scandinavia is quite a ways different than the US. Sure, my country is way smaller and we have our own challenges with ISPs, but at least I can pay around 14€ (~18$) for a 50Mbps connection.

Vermont is pretty good. Most folks wouldn't expect this. Most likely assume that there's only 2 Mb down DSL or Comcast. Even if they're wasn't an independent telco, it's still better than the bullcrap reportedly going on in Canada.

Australia apparently is another bad one for internet, if not worse! I wouldn't be surprised if they cap you to death!