After years of field testing autos and appliances, Consumer Reports is turning its attention to broadband. With the formation of its Broadband Together project, Consumer Reports has announced that it plans to take a look at the state of the internet in states across the U.S.
Rather than just reading a report at the conclusion of the study, Broadband Together invites those interested to open a free Consumer Reports account and participate in a speed test. The study will also ask what people are paying for their internet service. The Broadband Together coalition stresses that the privacy and security of all participants is paramount. With a guarantee of safety, the goal is to garner as much participation as possible to contribute to the project’s findings. Consumers are invited to start the process by visiting the Broadband Together website.
The Broadband Together initiative has attracted over 40 partner organizations from across the country, including Access Now, American Library Association, Amerind, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, BroadbandNow, Color of Change, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, New America’s Open Technology Institute, mLab, Public Knowledge, Rural Assembly, Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, and X-Lab at Penn State University.
“To create a better marketplace, we need to know the truth about our internet prices and fees,” said Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumer Reports. “Consumers sometimes spend more money for less service, thanks to confusing pricing and a lack of competition, and too many people simply cannot get online because there is no service where they live, or they cannot afford it.”
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