A surprisingly large number of locations across the United States have little to no competition among Internet service providers, which can lead to expensive — and not always great — service
A lack of competition for service generally comes hand-in-hand with higher costs for consumers and poor infrastructure, say industry watch rs. And for too many households the cost of a monthly Internet subscription is still too much of a challenge, said Sunne Wright McPeak, president and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF). When Californians were asked about the primary reason they aren’t online, 35.6 percent of those surveyed said affordability was keeping them from getting online. Only 2.7 percent reported a lack of infrastructure, said McPeak. The rest of those not enrolled had a variety of reasons, including concerns about online safety and digital literacy.