Exactly, thank you.Ph64 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:32 pmIf memory serves me DirectTVs satellite internet is satellite for downlink only - you don't own a satellite band transmitter (much less one strong enough to be detected by the satellite). They rely on your local wired infrastructure for "upstream", so still you only technically have two... Copper phone wires or cable.SuburbanFarmer wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:12 pmOk, I'll break it down for you in terms that you can understand.
Think about your power company. You have the option to 'purchase power' from a number of different outfits at very similar rates. Theoretically, there is some form of 'competition' for your business, right?
Yet, every one of those "options" is going to transmit the same thing to your house through the same wires. Those wires are owned by whatever power conglomerate controls your region. That's why the prices are so similar. They all have to pay off the conglomerate.
You have a choice between billing companies for the exact same resource.
The Tier 1 companies that own the backbone host all internet traffic. All of it. It doesn't matter if you're paying Comcast, AT&T, or somebody else, you're using the same wires, and the fees go to the same place.
Now notice that I said "cable provider". There is only 1 cable provider on that list. Because they own the cables.
Now, unlike with electricity, you do have 2 other alternatives from coax - DSL and Satellite. Both are incredibly limited, compared to cable in most areas - everywhere in the case of Satellite internet.
You have exactly ONE option to get cable television and internet together. That is not an accident.
So where I am it's Frontier (bought from SBC) for the old phone line copper infrastructure and Comcast for cable based infrastructure. Sure, there's a bunch of "3rd party" providers, like there's one many gamers prefer because their peering (whatever that is) is lower latency - but still, those vendors rely on Frontier or Comcast for the (commonly referred to as) "last mile" connectivity. It's a duopoly, you have no other choices for last mile wiring to your home.
Even if I could afford something like a T3/OC3 to my house from say AT&T, the last mile wiring would be done by and maintained by Frontier, the AT&T connection would be peered into Frontier's datacenter 40miles from my house.
(I didn't want to confuse the kid with satellite uploading)