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During the last 18 months, it has become increasingly clear that The Internet is an essential livelihood for American families, allowing us to work from home, attend school, schedule telemedicine appointments and apply for jobs and benefits. It has also been the way many of us have visited friends and family, and entertained ourselves while spending much more time at home.
But not everyone has access to reliable and inexpensive Internet service. That’s why Consumer Reports , with a coalition of partners including Impremedia (publishing company of this newspaper) , is undertaking an ambitious project called “Broadband Together” to investigate the state of broadband in the United States .
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“Our country is far behind in treating accessible and affordable broadband as an absolute necessity,” says Marta L. Tellado, president and CEO of Consumer Reports. “But there is a sleeping giant that is consumer power waiting to be activated. And we plan to illuminate the reality of broadband in the United States today, so that all Americans can have better opportunities tomorrow. ”
When you visit the new Broadband Together website , you will first sign up for a Free Consumer Reports (even if you’re not a member). Then you will take a test of your Internet speed, and you will be guided to share your Internet bill and answer some questions about your broadband service. Our goal is to get tens of thousands of consumers involved.
The “Broadband Together” coalition takes privacy very seriously and works actively to ensure your personal information. When you upload your bill, the files will be encrypted to help ensure that the information is protected and secure. Also, the CR analysis will only record relevant data such as price, package, speed, and hidden fees for further investigation. We will delete the invoices when they are no longer needed.
The findings of the “Broadband Together” initiative will assist CR in its effort to pressure Internet service providers and government officials to provide greater access to fair, affordable and reliable Internet services , according to Jonathan Schwantes, Senior Policy Advisor at Consumer Reports.
“To create a better market, we need to know the truth about Internet prices and charges, ”he says. “Consumers sometimes spend more money for less service, thanks to confusing pricing and lack of competition, and many people simply cannot access the Internet because there is no service where they live, or they cannot afford it.”
A nationwide representative Consumer Reports survey of 2, 565 Adults in the United States shows that while most Americans have access to the Internet through cable or fiber connection services, the 20% depends on less reliable and slower technologies, mainly plans cell phones or DSL service. And 3% do not have Internet access.
Americans also have few options to when choosing an internet provider. The 26% of those with a wired Internet connection in their homes have no choice: there is only one provider available to them . An additional 32% has only two options.
Cost also remains a common hurdle for many American households. The CR survey shows that almost a third of people who do not have cable Internet in their homes cite cost as a reason . Among people who have cable Internet, the 24% find something or very difficult to cope with monthly bills.
Consumer Reports is working on the “Broadband Together” initiative with a diverse coalition of more than 40 partner organizations nationwide. This project is supported in part by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and the Ford Foundation.
JOIN THE FIGHT HERE FOR A FAIR INTERNET
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a just, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2021, Consumer Reports, Inc.