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Kazuo Hirai: Broadband prices need to drop

N

neptunes

Member
I don't think it's the prices that's preventing people from getting broadbad.

I think it's the actual availablity, but with new tech like BPL and such could make a change.
 
D

DJ Demon J

Banned
Heh, I was there today as Kaz gave his speech. Pretty good, although I had to disagree at some of his assertions about online gaming being unprofitable.

Also, (too bad Gahiggidy isn't here to enjoy this) someone asked a great question about holography and games (is holography even a word? :)) and asked if SCEA had anything in development for this possible trend in gaming. Kaz sorta dodged the question by saying that it is something that needs to have hardware market support, he referred to HDTVs/progressive scan support (which BTW, is sorely lacking in PS2 Kaz! Xbox doesn't have these problems!) as an example.

He stopped by our offices before we all went to the Hill. I quickly hid all my Xbox paraphernalia/propaganda and prominently displayed PS1/PS2 boxes.
 
N

neptunes

Member
It was probably en where you go an listen to important figureheads.

DJ Demon, did he say anything about the psp and Sonny Connect?
 
E

explodet

Member
The broadband companies need to drop their prices so the people have more money to buy services and products from providers of online content - like Sony.

Is that the gist of it?
 
C

Culex

Banned
Right now, I'm paying $40 a month for 3mbps cable. That's seems very steep considering what Japan, the Nordic countries and Canada gets for less. :(
 
S

sprsk

force push the doodoo rock
for once kaz hirai says something and i dont feel like pushing him off the top of a building.
 
L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
Kaz sorta dodged the question by saying that it is something that needs to have hardware market support, he referred to HDTVs/progressive scan support (which BTW, is sorely lacking in PS2 Kaz! Xbox doesn't have these problems!)
Click to expand...
He's probably talking about the complete non-existence of holo projectors / holo TVs that you'd have to have in many homes for the holo console to make sense :p Otherwise what's the point? HDTV is an analogy, as it's still low percentage of people that have such TVs, and can you imagine if there was a console that works exclusively on them? That wouldn't sell too many units...
 
N

Nerevar

they call me "Man Gravy".
belgurdo said:
I'll say. I don't appreciate having to pay $50 for net service that still occassionally lags and crashes
Click to expand...


Huh? Broadband for me is $30 a month (or $20 a month if you're dishonest), which is about the same most people signed up for AOL unlimited internet for years ago. Where do you people live that it's so expensive?
 
T

Takuan

Member
I'm doing a course on Japan and the Internet, and apparently prices over there for any sort of internet are quite a bit higher than they are here. They have to pay all these different fees on top of the subscription fee. Also, most Japanese access the Internet from mobile phones, not personal computers. Yay I'm learnding.
 
K

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
SBC DSL - is it available throughout North America? No.
Does AOL Broadband require an existing broadband subscription? Yes.
 
B

BeOnEdge

Banned
do other phone companies offer the same crap? yes
what does AOL broadband have to do with anything? NOTHING. when i mentioned 23.90, thats how much morons still pay for aol dial up. who needs aol broadband? aol needs to just die already.
 
J

john tv

Member
Takuan said:
I'm doing a course on Japan and the Internet, and apparently prices over there for any sort of internet are quite a bit higher than they are here. They have to pay all these different fees on top of the subscription fee. Also, most Japanese access the Internet from mobile phones, not personal computers. Yay I'm learnding.
Click to expand...

Erm... 45mbps ADSL costs about 4000 yen/month here (roughly $36). In America, 1mbps averages around $50/month. And the service is consistently better here than any of the broadband packages I had in America.
 
M

Mystifizor

Banned
Gunsmoke said:
Kazuo Hirai: Broadband prices need to drop

Why ? Mr Kazuo

kazoo.jpg


So that Sony can make more money? Is that why Mr Kazuo ?

Why doesn't Sony shut the hell up and open their own broadband network.
Then you can supply it to consumers at the price you like, instead of whining.
Click to expand...
Let me guess: You DON`T like SONY, right?!
Damn....after that YOU have to STHU
 
SantaC

SantaC

Member
you should move to sweden. I am paying 45$ for 12mbit down and 9mbit up. VDSL. Full duplex. ping 1ms in some games.
 
R

ravingloon

Member
Mystifizor said:
Let me guess: You DON`T like SONY, right?!
Damn....after that YOU have to STHU
Click to expand...

Did you read the article at 1UP.com? He's clearly moaning that prices are too high once you figure in the broadband fees AND the additional content fees that the next generation are gonna require.

So, yes, he IS afraid the prices are too high for people to pay the cable company AND Sony.

And as for the complaining about HDTV prices, lower them Sony. You're driving the technology here, so complain to yourself.
 
I

IgeL

Member
Culex said:
Right now, I'm paying $40 a month for 3mbps cable. That's seems very steep considering what Japan, the Nordic countries and Canada gets for less. :(
Click to expand...

In all honesty, I think it's just Sweden of the Nordic countries. In Finland the prices are about the same level as USA - 35-50 euros for 512/512 kbits. 1 Mbit or 2 Mbit connections cost 60-70 euros a month. In Sweden they have some government-initiated broadband plans and the prices are cheaper there, BUT I don't think you can get fast broadband everywhere, it's only for certain areas. Any Swedes to confirm?
 
SantaC

SantaC

Member
IgeL said:
In all honesty, I think it's just Sweden of the Nordic countries. In Finland the prices are about the same level as USA - 35-50 euros for 512/512 kbits. 1 Mbit or 2 Mbit connections cost 60-70 euros a month. In Sweden they have some government-initiated broadband plans and the prices are cheaper there, BUT I don't think you can get fast broadband everywhere, it's only for certain areas. Any Swedes to confirm?
Click to expand...

Well you are right since Sweden is the leading broadband country in the world ahead of soem asian country. 87% of the swedish population can get broadband.
 
M

Mashing

Member
john tv said:
Erm... 45mbps ADSL costs about 4000 yen/month here (roughly $36). In America, 1mbps averages around $50/month. And the service is consistently better here than any of the broadband packages I had in America.
Click to expand...

Ummm... wtf, that's T3 speeds... I can't believe that if true
 
H

human5892

Queen of Denmark
He's right about the cost. I get fairly reliable dial-up right now for $10 a month. It's obviously much slower than broadband, but I don't have the money right now to pay an extra $20-$30 a month (sorry, BeOnEdge, but I researched it, and in my area the cheapest broadband you can get that I came across was $30/month), plus a new modem.
 
G

ge-man

Member
Mashing said:
Ummm... wtf, that's T3 speeds... I can't believe that if true
Click to expand...

My jaw dropped at those numbers.

Regardless, we're seriously behind in the states just in basic support. I can only get Bellsouth DSL in my area, and I refuse to subscribe to it because I dropped these assholes a couple of years back for shitty service.
 
S

SyNapSe

Member
Yeah, some of those places have an "introductory" price of something decent like $29.95, but once your out of that introductory phase (3 months - 1 year) they begin raping you for $50 a month.

I pay $45 a month right now, but my service is rarely every down so thats nice.
 
K

Kiriku

SWEDISH PERFECTION
I live in Sweden too, and I pay about $40 a month for a 10 mbps connection. I think that's a good price, but I think it would be a reasonable price for lower speeds too, down to 4-5 mbps. And that's a good enough connection IMO. So I agree that availability is the issue, not price.
 
S

SyNapSe

Member
Kiriku said:
I live in Sweden too, and I pay about $40 a month for a 10 mbps connection. I think that's a good price, but I think it would be a reasonable price for lower speeds too, down to 4-5 mbps. And that's a good enough connection IMO. So I agree that availability is the issue, not price.
Click to expand...

wow, just wow.
 
D

Deku Tree

Member
Kazuo Hirai said Television prices need to drop too (in that article)?
Am I hearing correctly?
Sony makes some of the most expensive TV's on the market!?!?!
Sony and Kazuo Hirai should lead by example instead of making hypocritical comments.
 
D

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
Anything Sony is 15 - 20% more expensive than the comparable product from a competitor.
 
K

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
BeOnEdge said:
do other phone companies offer the same crap? yes
Click to expand...

For the same price? Not necessarily. And look at the price performance that other countries are getting for much higher bandwidth, as reported by others above.

what does AOL broadband have to do with anything? NOTHING. when i mentioned 23.90, thats how much morons still pay for aol dial up. who needs aol broadband? aol needs to just die already.
Click to expand...
I misunderstood your reference to AOL. Sorry about that.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
i'm sure everyone would like lower broadband prices...
hell, my 10mbit/1mbit cable is like one of the fastest in the usa...
$45-50 regular price tho the first 6 months are $30...
 
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