Hooked On High Speed

Nearly two-thirds of residential Internet connections in the United States are high speed, according to the latest survey from Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.

From eWeek.com:

Despite the recession, U.S. residential broadband penetration jumped significantly last year, Pew reported. April's 63 percent level of high-speed home connections represents a 15 percent increase from a year ago.

Well, what do you expect with the price of high speed connections dropping and all. Oh, wait...

Over the past year, according to Pew's numbers released June 17, the price of residential broadband increased 13 percent, from a monthly $34.50 a year ago to $39 at the end of April. Broadband users with the choice of one provider reported an average monthly bill of $44.70 while those with the choice of two broadband providers reported monthly bills of $38.30.

Let's hear it for competition. That difference of $6.40 may seem negligible, but it'd cover most of an $8.99 basic unlimited monthly plan from Netflix. In fact, you could take that money and upgrade to the $13.99, two DVDs out at a time plan and still have some pocket change left over.

Sadly, I have only one provider where I live, and thus am at their mercy. For those of you who have your choice of providers, I urge you to ruthlessly play them off against each other. Make them squirm. Do it for me and the rest of us who have no high-speed options.