The notion that America has some of the slowest, most expensive Internet connections in the developed world should come as no surprise to frequent readers. That’s why it’s so refreshing to hear about Sonic.net, the ISP that is offering 1 Gbps fiber connections direct to the home for $70 a month. Incredibly, that price includes the installation of a fiber line direct to the user’s home.
Now, $70 a month for internet may seem prohibitively expensive. But, let’s put that in context. Other ISPs normally charge around $100 for 100 Mbps connections; even Sonic.net used to offer 40 Mbps for the same price as their new 1 Gbps. In their report, Ars Technica points out that for twice as much money as a 1.5 Mbps connection with Comcast, users would receive speeds around 600 times faster with Sonic.net. That seems like a fairly worthy investment.
Unfortunately, Sonic.net’s crazy fast speeds are only available as a pilot program that includes some 700 homes in Sebastopol, CA. For the rest of us non-California dwellers, that’s pretty bad news. However, the pilot program could prove that ultra-fast speeds at bargain basement prices really is a solid economic model. Moreover, this kind of so-called “disruptive” pricing, similar to what Google hopes to accomplish with their fiber program, may soon drive down prices across the board.
While their prices are enticing, it’s the attitude of Sonic.net’s CEO Dane Jasper that is a real breath of fresh air. Not only does he unequivocally state his belief in fast, cheap Internet in this country, he speak out against the greedy practices of ISPs, and artificial caps on usage. That kind of candor is almost as shocking as $70 for 1 Gbps.
(image and story via Ars Technica)
