HAVEN, Mich.
– There are no shortage of free broadband plans on the market, and many of them come with an array of features.
But if you’re looking to get some free broadband for your home, you need to take into account that many of these services come with limited or no coverage in the areas where you live.
“What we do know is that the coverage is not very good, and some of these plans have very low rates,” said Brian Loughnane, senior vice president of the National Broadband Association.
“And there’s no incentive to use them.”
Loughne said that the average cost for a new broadband connection in some areas is $150 a month, which is not cheap considering many of the services are not currently available to customers in the U.S. or Canada.
The American Society of Community and Applied Health Sciences (ASHCSAS) says that the median cost of a residential broadband service is $130 a month in the United States, while the median price for a mobile broadband connection is $30.
Loughnes said the low-cost option, which covers about 70% of households, is the most popular, but it is a relatively expensive option for those in rural areas.
“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t have unlimited broadband,” he said.
“But if you live in rural or remote areas, you should consider your options.”
The Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Net Markets has posted a list of some of the most affordable broadband options in some of its areas.
Some of these are still in the early stages of their development, but the organization says that its service is available in many areas and that it will continue to update the list of the best broadband options.
The organization said that most of these options are offered by providers in the Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia areas, although some of them are offered in some states, including Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii and Montana.
The Kansas Public Utility Commission said that it has about 700,000 customers who are currently using its network, which includes more than 15,000 wireless and 2,000 wired connections.
While some of those customers are paying for the service, others may be able to find ways to lower their monthly bill by getting a smaller monthly fee.
“The net effect is that they’re paying less than the other options, but they’re getting a great service,” said John Meeks, the agency’s executive director.
Meeks said that this is the case because many of those who are using these services can still find ways around their monthly bills by changing their phone plans or switching to a cheaper, newer device.
“We do encourage customers to have a discussion about the cost of the plan before making any decisions,” Meeks added.
In addition to offering unlimited access to the internet and other broadband services, many of Canada’s largest internet providers also offer the option of using their networks to offer free high-speed internet to certain areas.
This service is called a broadband access plan, and it is available to most households, but some internet providers in Canada offer a lower-cost, unlimited option, called a fixed line access plan.
Many of these fixed line plans, including those offered by Rogers, Bell and Telus, also include unlimited data for unlimited periods.
While these plans are more expensive than a free broadband plan, they may also offer a better experience for users.
The National Broadfield Broadband Council, which represents some of Canada, has said that its network has about 6,000 people using its broadband services in areas where it has access to an internet service provider.
“These plans are not available to all Canadians and may not be available in all communities,” said Michael O’Sullivan, the council’s president.
“For those customers, there is the option to choose an unlimited or fixed line plan.”
Meeks noted that if you choose a fixed-line plan, you can choose to get unlimited access if you have more than one smartphone, or you can get a phone plan that offers data at a lower monthly cost.
But he said that for most consumers, it is important to make the choice between these options and consider how the service is designed and if you can pay less.
“A lot of people may want to switch to a smartphone, but at the same time, they don’t want to pay $15 a month for a smartphone and $15 for a broadband connection,” he added.
Some customers have been left with no choice and had to pay extra for the services they needed.
“People were saying, ‘I’ve got to get the cell phone, I’ve got the phone, but I don’t know what the data is for,’ ” said Loughna, the Humboldt County commissioner.
“I’ve been trying to get to a place where I can get that phone or the cell service for $25 a month or less.
It’s been frustrating.