internet access upgrade!

Before: Centurylong DSL***

After: Comcast Xfinity BlastPro Performance Internet***

Right before I switched over to Xfinity the results are shown above.  The DSL is the same standard 12Mbps/768kbps DSL service we have been on since we moved into our home.  It's been good.  Not blazing fast speeds by any means, and at times the upload speed was definitely noticeable, but overall it has served us well.  Not only for the day-to-day personal typical web shit, but I would WFH (work from home) a lot, and very rarely did I have any issues with my VPN; or my Skype-for-Business Presence, IM, and VoIP calls.  AND there was this little startup called GiftStarter.com (wink wink) that was, and continues to be, run out of our home.  Arry at one point had four people working on GiftStarter out of our house - all over a 12mbps/768kbps residential internet line! (scrappy startup)
We used to joke that I was like Erlich Bachmann on #SiliconValleyHBO. 

Occasionally, if we did have issues, then we would have to switch over to our at&t cellular LTE service as a backup*.  Not sure how long we would have stayed with this DSL, but seeing what I am seeing so far, I am very happy to try out a much, much, much faster consumer internet experience!
And now that I switched providers, the comparison is almost unreasonable.  Since I get an employee discount, I am on the BlastPro Performance Internet plan.  It's probably more than I would buy on my own, but it feels GREAT** to see this kind of bandwidth at my disposal. 

Notes: this speed test comparison is by no means scientific.  Yes, I might have some unconscious bias since it is my employer.  The tests were done at around 11am on a Friday at basically the same time, so there is virtually no testing bias.  The screen shots speak for themselves - I think both services are delivering about what they are supposed to be delivering. 

Final note: when I called to find out about the contract on my CenturyLink DSL + Directv bundle, they offered a very compelling new Gigabit Internet + Prism tv service.  It was a package for more tv channels than I was getting with my Directv with much higher Internet access bandwidth for something like $99/mo on an introductory promotional price.  I think I would have tried it if it weren't for my new employment status!
It's very obvious that CenturyLink is dying to get all of their customers who bought the Directv+DSL bundle moved over to Prism since Directv is now owned by at&t. 

Final thoughts: yes, competition among service providers does seem to be giving consumers better service/features with better prices - something the government wants on behalf of their citizen constituency.  But as Peter Thiel in 'Zero to One’ states, you have to wonder if there is sufficient "gravy" these guys are making after competing like crazy for consumer eyeball revenue in order to fund the necessary R&D to experiment and fail and try out lots of new innovations, to make our immediate future better.  It's really hard to fund innovation if your margins keep getting squeezed by zealous competition.
#ZeroToOne

* btw, no business can exist without backup internet in our new world

** high amounts of disposable bandwidth is the new crack cocaine of the world. highly addictive it is.  "I love the smell of bandwidth in the morning.  it smells like... victory."

*** yes, ookla speed test is the gold standard as far as I am concerned. 
#ookla
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