Kansas City got Google Fiber back in 2012 and not surprisingly a lot of users jumped to this ~$70 service from their current ISPs the moment they could. Two of the incumbent ISPs suddenly came to the realization that there was demand for broadband at this speed and turned on some of their already laid and configured fiber connection so they could start to offer actual broadband and now several years later AT&T discovered that they would need to do the same to be able to attract customers in that market. The fiber has lain dormant for quite some time as most ISPs have argued that there was no demand for that level of connectivity; at least until Google offered it and customers left them in droves proving that the demand had always been there.
From The Register we hear that AT&T now offers $70 for a1Gbps connection, an additional $50 will get you TV and you can even bundle home service into the deal if you wish. For an additional $29 per month AT&T also offers not to log everything you do on the web over their connection, something which Google does not offer. This makes for an interesting discussion as most surfers no longer blink at Google the search engine tracking what they do online, but what about Google the ISP; does that create a different gut reaction? Then again considering AT&T's loose definition of unlimited, what do they mean by privacy or even gigabit for that matter?
"We've moved quickly to bring more competition to the Kansas City area for blazing-fast Internet speeds and best-in-class television service," said John Sondag, president of AT&T Missouri, without apparent irony."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- The TR Podcast 170: What the kids put in their PCIe slots these days
- Collaboration Summit Keynotes Will Stream Live on Wednesday, Feb. 18 @ Linux.com
- Qualcomm, ARM: We thought we had such HOT MODELS… @ The Register
- Lenovo is building ARM-based servers to improve energy efficiency @ The Inquirer
A VPN costs less than $30 a
A VPN costs less than $30 a month and with that, you’re getting privacy from the services you’re connecting to, not just the ISP.
So, does AT&T block VPNs or is the $30 a month privacy offer aimed at tech illiterates?
$29 dollars not to snoop, so
$29 dollars not to snoop, so privacy is not a right, it’s up for sale, and the 29 bucks is just protection money.
Big Ma Bell(AT$T): You wouldn’t want the world to know about those adult diapers searches and purchases , would you! Or you nearest or dearest friends, to suggest you for the role of Baby New Year, as you are already dressed for the occasion under that men’s warehouse suit! For the ball drop festivities at company headquarters!
Big Ma Bell(AT$T): Oh, and we see you’re into MOE anime, a man of your age, we don’t care that you are watching it, or your kids maybe, but you know how things are spun! And all your private info is belong to us, so pay up, or it’s time to hide your face, WE KNOW ALL YOUR SECRETS!![Cue the clip of the omnipotent children with the glowing eyes]