Comments

Another important fact left off by the author…..with that 56k service of $20 you also needed a phone line. So, you never had $20 internet….more like $50 for 56k! I now have DSL without a phone line 1.5M at $25….no need for a phone line because wireless service is so cheap and coverage is much better. BTW- Complaining to the ISP because YOU need more bandwidth and connectivity is like complaining to your apartment complex because you bought too much stuff an now need a bigger apartment…a complex who has already given you more space and decrease their per square foot price in the last decade!

Tom, this is why a science/tech writer shouldn’t cover economics topics. First, you need to learn the difference between Monopoly (one dominate) and Oligopoly (few)…..Very different markets. Oligopolies can be quite competitive…In fact; a duopoly (two) can be extremely competitive. Ex: Think Airbus and Boeing or (for something closer to the topic) some of the areas where Verizon and AT&T are going head-to-head with the cable companies. After you understand those basic concepts wrap your scientific/techy brain around the concepts of direct and indirect competition. If you don't think that Sat radio competes against terrestrial radio, podcasts and even internet radio (ex Pandora on a mobile phone), you might want to stick to science/tech only subjects