Believers in the ability of the Internet to improve the health of people from all
socioeconomic backgrounds have reason to worry. This week Time Warner announced that it would start offering metered plans designed to charge higher prices for individuals who are heavy users of broadband services. According to MediaPost:
“Time Warner this week said it would start a test of metered pricing in Beaumont, Tex. For the Time Warner test, consumers will be able to choose from a range of plans, with prices starting at $29.95 a month for speeds of 768 Kpbs and a 5GB bandwidth cap. The most expensive is $54.90 for speeds of 15 MBps and a monthly cap of 40GB. Customers who exceed their limits will be charged $1 for each extra GB.”
This trend has serious ramifications for people who rely on the Internet to find health information. Studies from Pew and other research organizations indicate that low-income Americans are less likely to have Internet access. Yet, the California Healthcare Foundation has reported that “these segments of the public have the greatest need for information that can help them manage their health.”
In addition, many of the most robust and useful online technologies (like online video) require reliable high-speed Internet connections. Will the advent of the metered Internet put a damper on efforts to ensure that people with the greatest need have access to the best online health information?
Only time will tell. However, this trend is well worth watching and being concerned about.
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