[jkilpatr]

Flat rate means that the user ends up paying an average 25c/gb in the United States.

5c/gb doesn't sound very bad in that context.

Flat rate is also the biggest contributor to a lot of poor internet service. Providers (cable,dsl) will start selling service at a given speed then oversell it until it's crap. The incentives are all out of whack.

For the 93% of the country without fiber to the door the 2018 FCC report shows that nearly 70% don't see their advertised speed during peak hours.