This is the 21st century but sometimes, sitting at the computer, you wouldn't know it. Even though many Americans have supposedly high speed broadband connection, there are times when the term "high speed" is a misnomer.   Compared to Europe and Japan, it's laughable and horribly slow.  In many parts of the United States, it's not even available, still dial-up, especially in rural areas.

Contrary to popular opinion, the United States doesn't lead in this field, just as its unequal, unfair, and unaffordable health care coverage is terrible compared to other industrialized nations.

At one time, not too long ago, the US led in the Internet world, but fell behind.  Why?  Unlike Europe, Japan and other countries, greedy corporate interests, invoking the mantra of the free market, "persuaded" government officials, who didn't need much persuading, to keep hands off....no effective regulation.

The reality, folks, is that there is no "free" market.  As Jonathan Tasini states so well, "There is no such thing as a "free market" because every corporation in America profits thanks to subsidized public goods like education, roads, the electric power grid, and (albeit, too permissive) regulatory management of the stock market, which imposes stability and deters dishonest behavior. So-called "free trade" is a mirage--nothing is free about a global trading regime that has iron-clad protection for capital investment and corporate intellectual property, and thrives on controlling and suppressing wages of workers, particularly in China."

Meanwhile, countries such as France use astute regulations to promote competition to the benefit of French consumers. 

This is true also of wireless technology, like cell phones.  The corny commercial "Can you hear me now?" is spot on.  Unlike Europe, which has a single mobile standard, the US has numerous technologies that make effective cell phone use impossible.  Paul Krugman provides the classic example when he says that his cell phone won't work in his house.

Krugman quotes the Financial Times', John Gapper who explains in his commentary about the myth of competing mobile standards, "Europe has stayed ahead of the US in mobile telephony, and in 3G services. Having one technology standard has spurred competition among network operators and handset manufacturers while competition in the US has been stymied by a proliferation of technologies."

Gapper goes on to say, "The reality is that the proliferation of technology standards in the US has worked against the interests of consumers. In Europe, it is easy to switch among networks because they all work on a single standard. The US had had limited competition in part because Verizon customers and AT&T customers are kept apart by technology."

So when the Internet connection for which you pay good bucks is sluggish, and your cell phone won't work because you're in a "dead zone", i.e. another cell phone competitor's territory, remember it's because AT&T, Verizon and their ilk put avarice, huge profits, CEO millions first, with the help of Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill and Bushite government officials and their belief (wink, wink) in the myth of the free market.  American consumers are definitely, always last.