Federal appeals court strikes down net neutrality rules

[The Brain]

Currently I have 2 completely different ISPs for my 2 completely different ground-based connections. I could get more connections, should I want to.

[Zanza]

US ground-based ISPs are regional monopolies?

America doesn't understand the concept of free markets except when it comes to employee rights and selling guns. 

[grumbler]

US ground-based ISPs are regional monopolies?

America doesn't understand the concept of free markets except when it comes to employee rights and selling guns. 

Germany doesn't understand the concept of how foolish it is to answer questions to which its response is wrong. 

US ground-based ISPs are not regional monopolies.  There are markets where there is only one good choice, but that isn't because of a monopoly so much as a lack of economies of scale that attract competition.  I live in a town of 600 and can choose between AT&T, Comcast, Time-Warner, Charter, and Cox Cable.  Plus a bunch of dial-ups.

[garbon]

I live in Manhattan and can pick between Time Warner, Time Warner and Time Warner. I could I suppose "choose" Verizon or Comcast if I moved apartments.

[DontSayBanana]

Germany doesn't understand the concept of how foolish it is to answer questions to which its response is wrong. 

US ground-based ISPs are not regional monopolies.  There are markets where there is only one good choice, but that isn't because of a monopoly so much as a lack of economies of scale that attract competition.  I live in a town of 600 and can choose between AT&T, Comcast, Time-Warner, Charter, and Cox Cable.  Plus a bunch of dial-ups.

Not a 100% convincing argument.  Plenty of ISPs advertise in areas where they don't actually offer service.  In my town, Comcast Xfininity and Verizon FIOS are both advertised as broadband options, but Verizon doesn't actually service my town.  I wouldn't even count last-gasp efforts at advertising dial-up as viable options.  Forums are pretty much the last significant sites remaining that can function on dial-up bandwidth; even some subreddits would get bogged down due to the current web's reliance on Flash or Silverlight for interactive elements.

[crazy canuck]

I live in Manhattan and can pick between Time Warner, Time Warner and Time Warner.

You should move to a town of 600 where they have much more choice.

[The Brain]

I live in Manhattan and can pick between Time Warner, Time Warner and Time Warner. I could I suppose "choose" Verizon or Comcast if I moved apartments.

I have been told that America has crappy internet infrastructure compared to Sweden because it's so big and the population so spread out. So a place like Manhattan must have better infrastructure than Sweden.

[Admiral Yi]

I have been told that America has crappy internet infrastructure compared to Sweden because it's so big and the population so spread out. So a place like Manhattan must have better infrastructure than Sweden.

It's got great infrastructure.  What it doesn't have is competition, because (apparently) the city never went through the hassle of laying underground fiber optic.

[Syt]

In Vienna landbound broadband is divided between two competitors: UPC for offering digital TV and broadband via cable TV. And A1 (former Telekom Austria) offering digital TV and broadband via phone line.

[viper37]

Plus a bunch of dial-ups.

wait.  what?  What is this thing?  Is it 1995 all over again?  I thought these were long dead...

[The Brain]

I have been told that America has crappy internet infrastructure compared to Sweden because it's so big and the population so spread out. So a place like Manhattan must have better infrastructure than Sweden.

It's got great infrastructure.  What it doesn't have is competition, because (apparently) the city never went through the hassle of laying underground fiber optic.

I don't follow.

[garbon]

So I went trying to look up services available at all the places I've lived (well abbreviated list but Southern California, Central Mass, SF and NYC). For each, I was directed to one provider.

[Admiral Yi]

I don't follow.

Are you being serious?

[crazy canuck]

I have been told that America has crappy internet infrastructure compared to Sweden because it's so big and the population so spread out. So a place like Manhattan must have better infrastructure than Sweden.

It's got great infrastructure.  What it doesn't have is competition, because (apparently) the city never went through the hassle of laying underground fiber optic.

Its got great infrastructure, just not fiber optic cables? 

And why is it the City's responsibility to lay fibre optic cables?

[crazy canuck]

So I went trying to look up services available at all the places I've lived (well abbreviated list but Southern California, Central Mass, SF and NYC). For each, I was directed to one provider.

Like I said, you need to move out to the sticks where you will have much better service.  And you can play with Grumbler.