Mark, I so agree with you.

I completely agree. American businesses are all about monopolizing the market and setting whatever outlandish rates that they want. What happened to good old competition.

we already have a cheaper American company... Vonage offers nationwide calling and offers free or very cheap international calling.  Trues, it is about 15 dollars a month more than this offer but if you make a lot of international calls Vonage may be a better deal.

The goal of running a business is not to be the cheapest, or to compete. It is to provide value to its shareholders by showing a profit. If people are willing to pay more to comcast then they are only passing along a bigger profit, even if that means that you do not like to pay it. Also, last I checked America is the world capital for innovation.

It's $10+ your monthly broadband service. So its more lie $50 ( $10 + 39.99/brodadband), for about $15 verizon will give me a nofrills pots line.. ohh yeahh and it works when there's a power outage..this wont.. and its has not  QOS issues (because yor out of bandwidth) .. just get skype with a dial in number.

And what are these cheap alternatives relying on for the backbone? Your local service provider is who. Without the cable TV or Phone company providing the broadband they wouldn't have ability to provide these services. Can you say "Cherry picking"? Let's pull the plug on all the big Telcom conglomerate bad guys, then try and make a cell phone call.

This could all change with Wi-Max... but only if you live within reach of the big cities. And who is going to pay for Wi-Max? Companies are going out-of-business trying to pay for the infrastructure and re-coup the costs.

All comes down to "there is no free lunch"

Does this allow wifi to work as an internet provider if you have internet on your cell phone plan?