Broadband Adoption Rates Still Flat-lining: [28th Mar 2012]

A study by TechNet has discovered that smartphone use in the US has risen dramatically in the past 3 years while broadband adoption rates have flattened. TechNet has called on the government to encourage broadband adoption by improving the number of programs available especially for those on low incomes. Around two thirds of the US population now has broadband - a figure which has stood still for some time. This is despite the current government making broadband adoption one of its major policies. Experts have questioned whether the National Broadband Plan has made an impact after all. John Horrigan from TechNet has said that the US runs the risk of having a less inclusive society and a smaller domestic market for technology goods and services unless changes are made.


AT&T is introducing a new policy this week aimed at their "legacy" customers. The policy means that when some subscribers reach their fixed monthly data cap, they can expect to be throttled. Only some users will be targeted in this way and in most cases they are people with unlimited smartphone plans because they tend to use higher amounts of data compared to those on tiered plans. In a statement the company has commented that those on unlimited plans use 50% more than the top 5% of those on tiered plans. Those who have an unlimited plan will receive a text message when they have reached their limit and data speeds will be reduced for the rest of the month. Limits tend to be anywhere from 2GB to 5GB per month depending on the plan. AT&T have said that they expect there to be a crunch in terms of available spectrum due to their failed merger and the problems with Lightsquared which could have offered satellite spectrum.


It has emerged that AT&T will be introducing a new loyalty program for their customers called AT&T Plus. Perks will include a support number, free upgrades, free activations for any second line and 25% off accessories which are not Apple branded. The service is expected to start in Minneapolis, Colorado and Houston but is expected to be expanded in the future. The service will be offered to longer term customers in the hope of retaining them. In a statement the company has commented that they are currently trialling the service with a select group and it is part of their commitment to a great experience for their customers.


Comcast has recently announced that any traffic generated by their new Xbox video streaming service would not count against their 250GB monthly data cap. However this news has angered some people who claim that it goes against net neutrality rules. Public Knowledge have raised their concerns in a statement and say that it makes a mockery of data caps and raises questions about the survival of an open Internet. Their fear is that a "fast lane" Internet service will be available to some, but not all, Internet users who are able to pay for it. Comcast have said that the video traffic is being delivered via their private IP network and not over the Internet. They say they are committed to an open Internet and will abide by FCC rules. They feel the Xbox works in the same way as a set-top box and is therefore exempt from data usage rules. However it has been pointed out that the Xbox has a number of streaming services but only one will not count against a data cap.