AT&T Launches 5-Gigabit Internet in 70 Cities, Costs $180/Month

[Brian_B]

I can't help but feel like I could do it cheaper. Much cheaper.

Access to the poles would be the problem.

I mean, seriously, I'd bribe a nearby house inside the service area (maybe with free internet?) to put a unit on their property and run some single mode fiber myself and connect it to 10GBase-SR transceivers on either end. How hard could it be?

Two things drive that price up insanely:

First is right-of-way / easement access. Many jurisdictions have been lobbied to only include certain utilities in their easement; if you also want to be included, you have to go buy your way in. Part of being a regulated utility means you get franchise rights to be a monopoly - power and phone, water and sewer. No one else is allowed to use those easements without their permission. That's why telecoms have such a big influence on ISPs. Cable has lobbied to get a lot of the same protections in many areas, even though it isn't a regulated utility -- it effectively puts them in the same class without needing to conform to the same requirements.

Second is union labor, which often becomes a requirement if you want the jurisdiction to buy off on your permit. That is entirely a politics play and there is no other reason for it. And the union is going to require engineering, surveys, flaggers, street control (even if it's on private property) - everything and anything they can to ensure they maximize the labor input and keep union labor employed and engaged. With mandatory breaks every 2 hours, and overtime on weekends.

There is nothing complicated about the work -- digging a ditch or putting up a pole isn't exactly hard, even if you consider going through/under sidewalks and roads and everything else. But we make it hard because everyone has their hand out wanting a cut.

This is largely how the existing ISPs have maintained their monopolies -- sure, you can come install your own ISP. You just can't run your wire because someone else has franchise rights and won't let you in.

 

[Riccochet]

I can't help but feel like I could do it cheaper. Much cheaper.

Access to the poles would be the problem.

I mean, seriously, I'd bribe a nearby house inside the service area (maybe with free internet?) to put a unit on their property and run some single mode fiber myself and connect it to 10GBase-SR transceivers on either end. How hard could it be?

Can it be done cheaper? Sure. If you remove the government aspect of it. Otherwise it costs for permitting, planning, surveyors, insurance....it's crazy.

 

[Riccochet]

Two things drive that price up insanely:

First is right-of-way / easement access. Many jurisdictions have been lobbied to only include certain utilities in their easement; if you also want to be included, you have to go buy your way in. Part of being a regulated utility means you get franchise rights to be a monopoly - power and phone, water and sewer. No one else is allowed to use those easements without their permission. That's why telecoms have such a big influence on ISPs. Cable has lobbied to get a lot of the same protections in many areas, even though it isn't a regulated utility -- it effectively puts them in the same class without needing to conform to the same requirements.

Second is union labor, which often becomes a requirement if you want the jurisdiction to buy off on your permit. That is entirely a politics play and there is no other reason for it.

There is nothing complicated about the work -- digging a ditch or putting up a pole isn't exactly hard, even if you consider going through/under sidewalks and roads and everything else. But we make it hard because everyone has their hand out wanting a cut.

This is largely how the existing ISPs have maintained their monopolies -- sure, you can come install your own ISP. You just can't run your wire because someone else has franchise rights and won't let you in.

They don't dig ditches anymore. They use hydrostatic bores to put the conduit in.

 

[Brian_B]

They don't dig ditches anymore. They use hydrostatic bores to put the conduit in.

They do. If you really want to get that specific about it. It's the same concept - putting a wire under ground. I was simplifying for hyperbole.

But if ~you~ (and I use that as the generic "you", not aimed Riccochet, since we are being specific) were going to go do it yourself, and there were no regulation or other impediment, you could get a shovel or trencher and go to town and get a wire in the ground. I'm sure you could probably buy or rent a hydrostatic bore if you really wanted to do some research, but they aren't readily available at Home Depot to my knowledge.

 

[Zarathustra]

Can it be done cheaper? Sure. If you remove the government aspect of it. Otherwise it costs for permitting, planning, surveyors, insurance....it's crazy.

I'm usually a "regulations exist for a reason" kind of guy, but in this case I think it is one of those "better to ask for forgiveness than permission" type of situations.

A lightweight little single mode fiber isn't going to hurt anyone.

 

[Burticus]

Yeah my BIL's place in upstate NY is like 1/2 mile from the nearest cable pole, and the quote was like $150k to run a line. He just deals with his 3mb DSL and uses his Verizon phone as much as possible. He also has hughesnet, but it's next to worthless.

This AT&T thing, I agree, is going to help no one that doesn't already have fast access.

And FIOS 2+ gig? I pay $180 a month for 100mb+TV so I cannot even imagine what gig+ costs (they do offer gig here, but honestly I have never bottomed out the 100mb yet..... but only 2 of us in the house).

 

[Grimlakin]

Frontier FIOS 1 gig where I am is 75 a month. No TV plan.

 

[Burticus]

Frontier FIOS 1 gig where I am is 75 a month. No TV plan.

New customer intro deal? I've had fios for 15 years. Since they bundle it with the TV and all the fees that comes with, plus DVR rental, it's possible the TV part is half my bill. But that would still be more than 75.

 

[LeRoy_Blanchard]

I was paying $70 for 1/1 Gbps North State a few years ago when I lived at a place that could get it. Now I think they bumped the price up to around $90 IIRC. No idea on TV/Phone bundles as I never bothered with it. I sure do miss it, but I was paying ~600 more a month in rent just to live there.

 

[Grimlakin]

New customer intro deal? I've had fios for 15 years. Since they bundle it with the TV and all the fees that comes with, plus DVR rental, it's possible the TV part is half my bill. But that would still be more than 75.

Yea two year intro price.