www.TechnicalPDF.com into larger telephone companies or went out of business, long-distance and broadband rates remained low. Large enterprises for the most part rely mainly on AT&T, CenturyLink, and Verizon because of their global networks. Many large enterprises use connections to a backup telephone company in the event of a major network outage at their primary carrier. Large organizations are also more likely to use AT&T and Verizon for mobile services because they are the only providers with close to nationwide mobile networks. Regional providers including Windstream and Frontier sell telecommunications and broadband services but in fewer regions than AT&T, CenturyLink, and Verizon. Costs and Competition for Cable TV Services in the United States Unfortunately for many consumers, the choice for Internet access is often limited to the local cable TV provider. Per FCC statistics nearly half of U.S. households had only a single choice of high data rate wired broadband provider by June of 2016. However, AT&T, Verizon, and CenturyLink's recent build-outs of broadband facilities do provide options for a second or, less frequently, a third broadband provider in increasing numbers of areas. The addition of competition has resulted in higher broadband data speeds for consumers in many areas. However, it has not resulted in lower cable TV prices for residential customers. Moreover, broadband prices remain high compared to those in Asia and Europe. Broadband costs are only $10 per month in Russia and less than $40 monthly in China. According to the March 14, 2018, Consumer Reports article by James K. Willcox, "Your Cable Bill Probably Went Up by More Than You Think," cable TV rates have increased by an average of 3 percent to 4 percent annually for the last four years. One factor in higher cable TV bills is the high fees that content providers www.TechnicalPDF.com charge cable TV companies for the rights to content. However, surcharges such as those for sports access add another $6 to $8 monthly. The high cost of cable