Why is the telecom service in the United States so abysmal compared to European standards?

Don’t worry @stanleybmanly the states isn’t the worst in this category Canada is actually number one, with the states coming in a close second.
The whole world is ahead of north America in this department,so the US and Canada can be proud we are number one for something to bad it has to be this.

What is worse?

As I said Canada is the worst in the telecom service department, the US is a close second, there is no one worse than North America in this field.

What is wrong with it?
Can you elaborate?

Cost and service comes first to mind.
The rest you would have to come and experience it.

Coverage?
Call quality?
Competition/number of providers?
Monopolist(s)?

YUP^^^

I think not.

And why do you say that^^?
can you say it’s better or equal to European service?

I’d like to know exactly what’s better and worse also. Some examples. Are we talking landline type phones? Cell phones? What?

What’s wrong with it? Let’s start with internet speed.

Maybe America had some of our infrastructure put in before other countries many many years ago, and so we are running on some of the older technology? Just a guess. That’s part of the problem with being first, things get old as others catch up and surpass with newer technologies.

I also think Europe had better regulations in the last 30–40 years to protect the consumer. America was left up to competition and so various companies tried to be unique or exclusive and so America was actually left with less choice in some ways. Some of it has been corrected. Remember when iPhone could only be used with AT&T? I don’t think that happened in Europe, but I’m not sure.

Internet speed is disappointing to me too. I really believe cable providers slow your speed over time to get you to pay more. I don’t know if it’s been proven. We already know Apple was purposely screwing with older phones to get you to buy a new one. I find both to be really horrible. I can’t inagine purposely breaking something a person owns so they will buy something from you. I think that’s stealing honestly.

Let’s start with internet speed.

OK. How is American internet speed abysmal compared to Europe? And what practical difference does that make?