I want my ISP back

Remember the days of $19.99 internet where you bought a basic 28.8K or even better yet a V.92 56K dial-up account?  Yeah, it sucked – but in many ways I long for those days and I’ll tell you why.

Before the telecommunications (aka phone guys) companies started buying up all the Internet Service Providers (ISP), you could pick and choose from a few local companies that did one thing… they provided Internet service!  Sure the technology has improved and you can get pseudo-broadband from most of the telephone companies today, but the service is expensive, restrictive and overpriced.  I’ve really reached my wits end over the current state of Internet options in Alaska and much of the USA.

Take a journey with me
Imagine if you will, buying all your utilities from one company… trash, sewage, gas, electricity, water.  Sounds great doesn’t it?  Just one company, one bill… a utopia of fleecing yourself in the name of convenience. Here’s where that utopia becomes a nightmare.  Your one-stop utility company decides that regardless of the fact that you already have a well, septic, wood stove and burn barrel – you’re going to have to buy the whole bundle just to get the electricity you want to keep the lights on through the winter.  Man that sucks huh?  Obviously this is not the best way to illustrate the reality of buying Internet service today, but you get the point.

Fear of cannibalization
Telephone companies are competing with themselves (internally).  As long as telcos are driven by their old products and refusal to innovate, the road to real competitive pricing and real broadband is going to continue to be slow, painful and expensive. They will continue forcing you to buy phone service, cable TV and long distance plans in exchange for broadband plans because they make good margins on all those services.

In reality, we all know that most of us really just want our cell phone with national long distance and unlimited minutes for about $50/month – there’s my phone, thank you very much.  I’ll take the “land line” as a backup, but it better be cheap – like $1.99/month please. Give me a real high speed connection (and no 768K is not high speed, neither is 1Mbps)  for about $50/month and I’m all set.  Bingo! You’ve just sold me $100+/month worth of phone and Internet – now the rest of the choices are mine!

Innovate or die
If the telcos really want to survive, they need to look beyond iTunes, Apple TV, Tivo and Skype.  In order for telcos to survive the long haul, they are going to have to come up with their own IP based products that can compete or start partnering with online service providers.  This trend of obstructing customer access and binding them with fewer choices and higher prices will ultimately backfire.

My message to ACS, MTA, GCI and all the rest:
Stop playing defense! Get out there and deliver innovative services before you wilt away.  

Meanwhile, I’ll keep ranting and wishing for a real ISP.
Hey, a guy can dream right?

/kk

* Lead image provided by: Wulfruna (Deviantart)