C - Comcast spells monopoly.

For those of you looking for a high speed gaming connection you have pretty limited options, especially where I am. I have Comcast. AT&T will offer me a slow service for a little less, but just can't compete. Comcast is blazing fast and doesn't seem too keen on letting anyone else in the area where I live.

I'd love to have Charter or even Time Warner. I'd love to have an option. I have recently switched to a package where I use TWO modems and stream most of my TV via a standard (15 mb down / 3 mb up) Comcast cable connection. I use the other connection (50 mb down / 10 mb up) for gaming. I no longer have a need for bloated HD cable TV, because the internet gives me everything I need. However, in the world of gaming... every single megabyte counts. Ping is very important as is the stability of your connection. While I had plenty of spotty service with Comcast in the past, since paying so much for the premium service... not so much as a hiccup.

I don't know why or what keeps other services from coming in, but I have to imagine it is the grip that Comcast already holds. People like my in-laws and my parents will refuse to live without cable, because they don't know how. All the knew is the TV and that remote. Trying to explain how to use Netflix on the Wii is almost exhausting (not to mention the Wii can't show HD with Netflix). We need to push forward and show the cable company that all we need some them is bandwidth now. I think we send two messages by doing that. One, that we know how valuable the internet is and we know how cheap bandwidth is. Second, we are willing to go to another provider for a service that is just as good. Getting a service in that didn't carry broadcasting would be much easier than one that did.

I am stuck with Comcast and it is what I use. It is pretty fast with this fancy new connection, but I think it is just a luxury now. I have a decent job and can afford it, but I am not sure that for the average consumer the pricepoint is there yet.