[IP] U.S. vs. Japan: Residential Internet Service Provision Pricing

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.net>
Date: June 28, 2009 1:41:50 PM EDT
To: dave@farber.net, "ip" <ip@v2.listbox.com>
Subject: Re: [IP] U.S. vs. Japan: Residential Internet Service  
Provision Pricing


> • In Japan, the typical Internet speed is higher than the U.S.
> (8Mbps-50Mbps), and costs $30-60 per month. J:COM, a large cable
> Internet provider, has cable Internet up to 160Mbps, costs $63 ($0.4
> per megabit).

Our Internet service provider would love to provide similar speeds at  
similar prices. Unfortunately, due to the high cost of bandwidth  
(which is particularly inflated by excessive charges for "middle mile"  
bandwidth), such rates are far below our wholesale cost.

For more on the issue of "special access" -- one of the factors which  
most contributes to these high costs -- see my latest blog posting at

http://bennett.com/blog/2009/06/whats-this-i-hear-about-special-axes/

--Brett Glass







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