Lithuanian Exceptionalism

[n2doc]

by mistermix

In Lithuania, fiber broadband equivalent in speed to the service purchased by most Americans (10/1 Mbps) is $14.72 a month. The Lithuanian telco just doubled speeds with no rate increase, and you can get 40/40 Mbps service for $55, with no caps.

In the United States, I pay $40/month for 10/1 service. Recently, my ISP (Time Warner Cable) announced that they’ll sell you 30/5 for $70/month, and 50/5 for $100/month. I can’t buy the top end of Lithuanian-grade service (300/40) for any price. But I still count myself as a lucky moocher, because 56% of my fellow leeches have capped Internet service.

My mailbox and email inbox are inundated with offers from the local cable and telco trying to sell me shit I don’t want (more telephone service, more “premium” channels, and various bundles of those two things), along with either underpowered or overpriced Internet access. In the meantime, former collectivists are getting free upgrades to service levels unimaginable in our capitalist paradise. Sometimes I wonder who really won the Cold War.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2011/05/07/lithuanian-exceptionalism/

[Brickbat]

1. Right, but our options come from something called "competition," which makes our system more

desirable, useful, morally correct and superior.

[aSpeckofDust]

2. Where's the sarcasm tag?

[Brickbat]

3. Didn't think I needed one.

;) :toast:

[hulka38]

4. Don't we make America stronger by overpaying

to American companies?

[Kurovski]

5. But Americans have that "exceptionalism" thing. Certainly that's worth all the extra dough?

Right?