Why Internet Access in the US is Slow and Expensive

Many American citizens have noticed the high coast of broadband Internet connectivity throughout the United States, as well as the very high prices that often accompany it (compared to countries like South Korea, for example, or most of Europe). As a service that is essentially a utility, critical for many Americans not only for communication, but for submitting forms to the Government, starting a business or even finding work, the Internet is essentially a utility - not a luxury. So why isn’t it being treated like one?

In this video, Bill Moyer interviews Susan Crawford, the former Special Assistant to President Obama for Science, Technology and Innovation, and now the author of Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Guilded Age.

The interview examines issues like secret non-competition agreements between the major telecoms, price-rigging, and influence-peddling to stifle competition. It’s a great watch and helps us understand how the telecoms are essentially acting the the Robber Barons of yesteryear.

Here’s the video: