Cable says yes to superfast Internet, but its prices say no.

During the recent 2013 Cable Show in Washington, DC, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts revealed a new 3 Gbps broadband connection – faster than Verizon FiOS and even faster than Google’s touted 1 Gbps.

But CNET reporter Marguerite Reardon pointed out that while Roberts was showing off a demo project, the cable industry has been doing virtually all it can to keep people away from superfast broadband. As Reardon says:

“The cable providers have been slow to make its speedier options broadly available, and when they do, they charge significantly higher prices that escalate as you move to faster tiers.”

Then, she laid out Comcast’s actual speeds and prices:

• 50Mbps at $60 a month for the first six months, after that between $59 and $75 a month.
• 105Mbps service, available in a few markets, $90 a month going up to $115 after six months.
• 305Mbps service, in very limited markets at $320 a month, with a $500 installation fee.

According to Reardon, “Based on how the industry has chosen to price its service, it's clear that cable operators are not exactly encouraging adoption of ultra high-speed broadband.”

Is cable holding back superfast broadband adoption on purpose? (CNET, Jun. 17, 2013)