Thursday, February 22, 2007
Why do people still have dial-up?
Scott Wallsten of the Bell-funded Progress and Freedom Foundation claims that people who still have dial-up as their primary Internet connection like dial up better than broadband.
So I asked my brother in law, the one person I know who still dials up, why he doesn't switch to broadband. He told me, "What? I'm supposed to wait around all day for the cable guy to show up? If I take a day off, I won't make my rent. I have a second job on Saturdays, so that's out too."
Wallsten-think: He works a marginal job because he likes having a marginal job. He can't take a day off to wait for the cable guy because he likes working six days a week. And he doesn't get broadband because he likes dial-up (more than he dislikes missing the rent).
When Wallsten sees US infant mortality, twenty eighth in the world (even Cuba is better), I wonder if he thinks, "Those mothers like having their kids die."
Wallsten's got a Ph.D. in economics.
So I asked my brother in law, the one person I know who still dials up, why he doesn't switch to broadband. He told me, "What? I'm supposed to wait around all day for the cable guy to show up? If I take a day off, I won't make my rent. I have a second job on Saturdays, so that's out too."
Wallsten-think: He works a marginal job because he likes having a marginal job. He can't take a day off to wait for the cable guy because he likes working six days a week. And he doesn't get broadband because he likes dial-up (more than he dislikes missing the rent).
When Wallsten sees US infant mortality, twenty eighth in the world (even Cuba is better), I wonder if he thinks, "Those mothers like having their kids die."
Wallsten's got a Ph.D. in economics.
Technorati Tags: Broadband, Economics, FTC
Comments:
People - like me - still have dialup because there are no affordable alternatives in the area in which they live. Believe me, if there were, dialup would be looooong gone!
# posted by 
: 1/21/2008 10:04 AM
: 1/21/2008 10:04 AM
Ditto! I think most people with dialup have it because it's the only affordable internet connection they can get. My only other option is satellite, which is WAY too expensive just for me to be able to check my e-mail at home...and I'm not moving to town just to get broadband...
Post a Comment
