Cable lobbyists seem to be buckling under the pressure of consumer unrest in Kansas. Last week, the Kansas Cable Telecommunications Association announced a protectionist bill that would all but squash some city’s hopes of getting improved broadband service. [More]
google fiber
Kansas Cable Lobbyists Deny Hatred Of Google Fiber, Will “Tweak” Restrictive Bill Language
By 2.3.14
Kansas Legislature Wants To Stop Any Other Kansas Cities From Getting Google Fiber
By 1.30.14
The Kansas state legislature is currently considering a bill that would prohibit municipalities in that state from building out their own municipal broadband networks. Completely coincidentally of course we’re sure, Kansas City is home to the country’s first Google Fiber municipal network. [More]
Consumerist’s Most Popular Stories From 2013
December 31, 2013
2013 ends in a few hours, and in the year since we last popped champagne corks and pretended to know the words to “Auld Lang Syne,” we’ve posted more than 5,000 stories to Consumerist, covering everything from Wall Street to Capitol Hill to the drive-thru lane. Some of these posts attracted a few more readers than others. [More]
AT&T Offers $70 (Sort-Of) Gigabit Internet… If You Let It Snoop On Your Browsing History
By 12.11.13
AT&T has finally kicked off its gigabit Internet service in some parts of Austin, and is offering people high-speed fiber access “for as low as $70 a month.**” See those two stars? They’re kind of important, as the only way you’re getting that $70 price is if you sign up for a program that gives AT&T access to your web browsing habits so it can serve you up even more ads. [More]
Google Who? L.A. Planning Citywide Gigabit Fiber Network
By 11.6.13
While a handful of cities around the country have launched municipal fiberoptic networks to bring ultra-high-speed broadband access to consumers at a reasonable price, none have come close in size to the project reportedly being hatched in Los Angeles that would make gigabit Internet service available to all city residents. [More]
U.S. Consumers Paying More, Getting Less For Internet Than Europe & Asia
By 10.28.13
While numerous telecoms in Europe and Asia are acknowledging that it’s becoming cheaper and easier to provide TV and high-speed Internet service to consumers, many U.S. providers are continuing to charge high prices for a mediocre product, according to a new report from the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute. [More]
Why New Fiber Networks Are Required To Shatter Monopolies Of Comcast & Other ISPs
By 10.2.13
It’s one thing if a company earns a dominant market share in a region because consumers have voted with their wallets and decided that Company X is the best around and it’s the only one they want. It’s another when, in the case of the cable industry, that monopoly isn’t earned, but is instead the result of outdated regulations that force a certain company on consumers based on ZIP code. The introduction of higher-speed fiber-optic networks like Google Fiber and AT&T’s new experiment in Austin may shatter the concrete feet of a cable colossus like Comcast. [More]
This Video Comparison Of Broadband Vs. Google Fiber Isn’t Quite Accurate, But It Is Funny
By 9.26.13
Residents of Provo, UT, will soon be getting access to Google Fiber Internet service, so to illustrate the difference between Gigabit fiberoptic service and typical broadband, the mayor’s office cooked up a funny — if not entirely accurate — video. [More]
What’s Behind Google Fiber’s Door No. 3? (Drumroll, Please)… It’s Provo, Utah!
By 4.18.13
Google Fiber is rolling on again across the United States: After announcing Austin, Texas as its second city to officially join the family, the super speedy gigabit network is set to spread into Provo, Utah. It’ll give customers there another option for watching TV and surfing the Internet, and if we know anything in this confusing world, it’s that choice is a beautiful thing. [More]
Time Warner Cable: Consumers Don’t Want Gigabit Internet Yet
By 2.27.13
While the Google Fiber experiment is delivering super-high-speed broadband to people in the Kansas City area, Time Warner Cable says it has the ability to offer similar service, but “We just don’t see the need of delivering that to consumers.” [via TheVerge.com] [More]
Time Warner Boosts My Speed, Cuts My Bill: I Just Happen To Live Near Google Fiber
By 1.30.13
Rob is a Time Warner Cable customer, and he’s received two really interesting things from them lately. First, a 50% speed boost: they claim to have upgraded the speed of his home Internet connection. That’s neat. Oh, and they’ve also cut his bill, from $45 to $30. Wow! What has prompted this amazing treatment? Years of loyalty and on-time payments? No, not exactly…Rob lives in Kansas City, pilot site for Google Fiber, the gigabit broadband project that’s threatening to make current broadband providers almost care about competing. [More]
Netflix Now Posting Monthly Rankings Of ISP Speeds
By 12.11.12
If, during the course of watching a 50-hour marathon of Burn Notice on Netflix, you find yourself occasionally annoyed by drops in resolution or — heaven forefend — buffering, it might be your Internet service provider. Well, now you can get a better idea as Netflix intends to post monthly rankings of speed on 21 major ISPs. [More]
Google Files Applications To Offer TV Service In Kansas City
By 2.23.12
Google has been using the Kansas City area as a place to test out its high-speed internet service and now it looks like the internet giant may be ready to try its hand at offering TV service to customers. [More]
