[noxxten]

Just out of curiosity, I checked Virgin's prices in the UK. In my area (Kentucky, US) my ISP options are AT&T DSL and Comcast cable internet. I'm paying for the cheapest internet plan offered by comcast $45 for 25Mb down. The MOST EXPENSIVE plan offered by Virgin for £37.50 gets 152Mb down.

[jpadkins]

UK is much more dense than Kentucky. Really hard to compare prices like that.

[martinald]

I disagree. The US has already built all this cable and telecom infrastructure (only ~50% of the UK has access to cable, which is way lower than the US).

The expensive part - digging the road and laying the physical cable - is already done, and was done 30+ years ago in many cases. These assets have been paid for.

The high internet prices in the US are down to terrible regulation. While there are many things that the EU hasn't done well, it has really nailed telecom (both fixed and cellular) regulation.

[adventured]

For those curious:

UK: 660 people per sq mile Kentucky: 101 people per sq mile