US Has Some Of The Most Expensive Mobile Data Prices In The Developed World
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While the U.S. wireless industry likes to talk a lot about how ultra-competitive it is, that's generally not the case. While there's more competition in wireless than in the fixed-line broadband sector (where there's virtually no competition at faster speeds due to upgrade-phobic telcos and cable's growing broadband monopoly), much of the competition in wireless tends to be theatrical in nature. Most of the major four carriers still usually outright refuse to compete on price, something you don't get to have a choice about in a truly competitive market.While T-Mobile's disruption of the market (which has its limits) has certainly helped improve some of the worst aspects of US wireless (like long term contracts and international roaming price gouging), Americans have long paid more money for mobile data than most of the developed world. A new report out of Finland by Rewheel has once again driven that point home. According to the firm's latest data, U.S consumers pay the fifth-highest rate on average per gigabyte for smartphone plans across OECD and European countries, and the highest prices on average for mobile data services provided via things like mobile hotspots.All told, U.S. smartphone plans are more than four times higher than in most EU countries, and up to sixteen times higher across much of Europe:
"Judging from the excessive gigabyte prices, US operators are charging today for 4G mobile broadband (see Verizon's striking $710 100 gigabyte hotspot plan--in Europe 100 gigabyte mobile broadband typically costs between 10 and 20) merger promises concerning affordable 5G home broadband should be critically reviewed and if verified must be made binding."And this is all before you get to the real cost impact of killing things like the FCC's broadband privacy rules, net neutrality, and other consumer protections, which were some of the only things standing between US carriers and even more aggressive, creative nickel-and-diming of American consumers. Should ISPs and the FCC win the court challenge to the net neutrality repeal next Spring, you can expect a hell of a lot more "creative" efforts to jack up US consumer bills even higher.
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