Comment Re:Costs (Score 4, Insightful) 217
I was about to same the same thing, I hate advocating for ATT/Verizon but the actual speed is meaningless as far as cost. This is why most internet speed packages are close to each other in price ($50,60,70,80 etc..). The real cost is maintenance, which in parts and labor are not any less than fiber(probably more). Customer service, these people do not call in any less than fiber customers(again probably more). Yet these areas are probably rural or have some barrier that makes it more expensive to maintain/upgrade than they can pull in with reasonable monthly rates.
In fact I would propose a counter argument, they should be charging their "upgraded" customers LESS as as it is usually very cheap per person to service heavy pop areas and most of that "cost" is paid for by their other products such as TV/phone that use the same lines.