AT&T Exploring Alternative Internet Services, Brushes Off Service Discrimination Claims

For any region, Internet speed will vary. With technology continuing its rapid pace of advancement, fiber technology is seen as the way to go. The problem is that doing so will require large investments. To offset that, companies like AT&T would need to charge hefty sums which some neighborhoods or sectors may not be able to afford.

Hence, the belief that AT&T is studying and selecting the places where fiber Internet is available to make a bit of sense. Some may cry foul, calling it a discrimination but the fact remains that a product is only essential if the product or service is availed of, albeit translating to generated revenue.

In places like California, not all neighborhoods reportedly have access to fiber Internet speeds. According to UC Berkeley’s Haas Institute study for a Fair and Inclusive Society, fiber-to-the-home households had a median income of $110,474, while DSL access homes had a median income of just $47,894. Hence, the higher income class got a better chance of availing of better Internet speed over the lower class which may have to deal with connections as low as 768 kbps.

So is AT&T discriminating against lower-income neighborhoods? From a business perspective, it could make sense especially if the cost of cable installation is factored in. But rather than hope for fiber Internet speeds, it could be the reason why AT&T is looking at alternative technologies like 5G wireless networks.

It may pale if compared to fiber connections but somehow addresses the growing demand for faster internet to areas where cable installation may be too expensive, Digital Trends reported. Subscription rates are likely to be more affordable than what a fiber Internet deal offers, a recourse that seems to be far from both sides.

The thing here is that quality service needs proper pricing, no matter how (ridiculously) expensive it may be. Lower income households can hardly complain and need to realize that their subscription depends on their financial capacity to pay.