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Comment by axyjo | Hacker News Reader

I wonder how much of this is attributable to a rise in streaming (Amazon Prime, Hotstar, etc.) but a lack in investment for fixed-line internet.

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Last mile fixed lines are outrageously expensive compared to wireless infrastructure, with the result being that many countries with limited land lines have wireless infrastructure other, more industrialized countries can only dream about.

To put it this way: I had more reliable coverage and lots more bandwidth available just outside Mogadishu than I've ever had in San Francisco.

I am not joking.

You'll likely have the same experience in Houston, Phoenix or Nashville (etc). San Francisco is just too dense, too many people and devices.

You'll find most U.S. urban areas are just as connected as San Francisco. SF NIMBY mindset prevents infrastructure improvements required to improve connectivity.

Connectivity can be built if the desire is there.

Paris isn’t particularly high density, and practically everything is historical, but you don’t see big ugly base stations everywhere to provide excellent coverage.

And their telecom (wired and wireless) rates are dirt cheap.

> San Francisco is just too dense, too many people and devices.

I dunno about that, I've had fantastic connectivity in Singapore, Hong Kong, etc

I can vouch for this. Currently, living in Chennai and we have 1Gbps connection for 2000INR per month where as in my native you'll get 24Mbps for the same amount.

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