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Sony Launches Internet Service Offering Twice the Speed of Google Fiber

An anonymous reader writes "Sony Japan has announced that its own Internet service provider So-net Entertainment has launched what is thought to be the world's fastest Internet connection for home use in Japan with download speed of 2 Gbps on average. This speed is twice as fast as competing high-speed fiber connections in Japan. The ultra-fast connection, known as Nuro, will cost an inexpensive 4,980 yen ($51) per month- offering download speeds of 2 Gbps and uploads of up to 1 Gbps."

18 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. And it's in Japan by hedwards · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Japan already have better connection options than the US? I know that it's fast, but how is this particularly notable?

    1. Re:And it's in Japan by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      Because it goes up to 11.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:And it's in Japan by hawguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, but what's the point of comparing it with Google's fiber when they aren't even in the same part of the world?

      Unless they're planning to set up their network in a part of the world where Google is also thinking about setting up a network, the comparison is completely meaningless.

      Because Google is held up as the shining example of what the telcos *could* be providing us... yet in Japan Sony is offering twice the speed for less cost. So maybe Google's offering is not the holy grail of home internet and telcos should be doing better.

    3. Re:And it's in Japan by hawguy · · Score: 3, Informative

      Japan has incredibly high population densities relative to the U.S. (same with South Korea), this comparison is pointless. Fiber is expensive over distances, which the U.S. has a lot of.

      San Francisco has a higher population density than Tokyo, yet my choices for "high speed" internet are 20mbit Comcast or "up to" 6mbit DSL service from AT&T. U-verse should be "coming soon".

      So it's not just density - the USA has plenty of dense cities without ubiquitous and cheap gigabit internet.

    4. Re:And it's in Japan by hawguy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think we all understand the difference in population density and how that affects the cost to provide infrastructure services. That plays a big part in how places in Japan can offer better price and performance than places in the US.

      So what's the excuse in NY, SF, Chicago, Boston and other high density cities that have a population density greater than Tokyo? If Google can wire up low-density Kansas City and Austin, why can't the telcos figure out how to make money wiring up a neighborhood full of high density apartment buildings?

  2. Amazing tentacle detail . . . by PeeAitchPee · · Score: 4, Funny

    . . . now in 1080p with 7.1 surround!

  3. Re:After the first $million ... by nospam007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Is there really a noticeable difference between 1Gbps and 2?"

    A big one, the data has to wait twice as long for your harddisk.

  4. Even has a SLA! by SmurfButcher+Bob · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...if for any reason it causes the silentl install of a rootkit or performs some other criminal act within your enterprise, you'll be entitled to a pair of $1 iTunes gift certificates.
    Take THAT, google fiber!

    --

    help me i've cloned myself and can't remember which one I am

  5. $51 is expensive? by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's arguable that with everything that a Comcast subscription requires that we pay 2-3 times that depending on what you REALLY want and use out of your service.

    I think it's an extremely reasonable price given U.S. conditions.

    1. Re:$51 is expensive? by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 3, Informative

      ugh.. but you're right.

  6. Hmmm ... by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't know how Sony treats people in Japan, but for me Sony would be the last company I would trust as my ISP.

    People who install root-kits on computers are going to go to great lengths to look out for their own interests. They also don't have the greatest track record for security.

    I'm probably just a tad bitter and cynical, but there's a lot of ways in which my distrust/dislike of Sony would make me think this isn't something I'd want. They'll probably be doing DPI and everything else shady you can imagine.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  7. Speed is not everything by Yvanhoe · · Score: 5, Informative

    Last time I was in Japan, I had a good connection, but the ISP decided to drop every ssh connection above a given traffic. My tunnels kept being broken until I set a speed limit on my side.

    I tried also to seed some videos (that I created) but did not manage to get peers at more than 1KB/s

    It is good to have a high speed, but it is useless if it is just to watch youtube videos. I won't trade the decent DSL I have here in France through a protocol-tolerant ISP (Free Telecom) to a fiber connection through someone like Sony who is well known for its tight control.

    --
    The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
  8. Re:What's the catch? by RevWaldo · · Score: 3, Funny

    They use 1s and 0s where everyone else uses 0s and 1s.

    .

  9. What router should I buy? by Krneki · · Score: 3, Funny

    So, I got this super-awesome 2Gbps internet connection. What cheap router (max 50E) should I buy?

    --
    Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
  10. Yeah yeah, so what? by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 4, Interesting

    New York is very densely populated. It still doesn't have anywhere near close Asian speeds. Hell, Holland is LESS densely populated AND it has higher speeds. So does Sweden.

    Not all of the US is a desolate wasteland inhabited by rednecks. Some parts are almost civilized, and still the infrastructure sucks donkey balls. Explain that?

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  11. Re:thnx sony by newcastlejon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Enjoy the first post feature while it lasts, it'll be gone in your next mandatory router update.

    --
    If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
  12. Re:After the first $million ... by petermgreen · · Score: 3, Informative

    Sure, however once the speed of the connection from your house to your ISPs PoP gets over a certain speed it stops being a significant factor in the overall user experiance. Other factors including limited bandwidth at the server, bandwidth limitations in the ISPs (both client side and server side) networks, limited speed of your hard drive, human time to select things in the user interface, time for servers to process requests and so-on become the limiting factors on the overall performance.

    --
    note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
  13. Re:Sony will figure out a way by man_the_king · · Score: 3, Informative

    The XCP rootkit alone should have clued you that you're an idiot for buying electronics from them, that was only 10 years ago. Yes, I was a victim and yes, I'm pissed that nobody went to prison for it. Once bitten, twice shy.

    The XCP rootkit incident did not affect me - however, I was rational enough to realize that the incident had been perpetrated by BMG Crescendo just before it was acquired by Sony Music or during the acquisition (look up the timeline). And I like the quality of the electronics they make. I also realize that Sony had many different arms which seemed to not even work well together - Sony Music was not governed by the people who make TVs, Blu-ray Players or the PS3. It's only recently that their different divisions seem to have started working towards common goals.

    The OtherOS debacle was only five years ago, the hack only a couple of years ago.

    As for the OtherOS debacle, while I don't really like them taking away a feature (that they did NOT advertize, no matter how much haters like to claim that they did), I can understand the panicked mindset that led them to that rash decision. An idiot called Geohot had just decided to publicize and teach others how to use the OtherOS capability to hack into the PS3 architecture.

    Moreover, Sony's response to the hacks has been much better than ANY other corporation out there - including CitiCorp, Microsoft, etc. They even offered a one-year free identity theft protection. The only reason you are harping on about the hack is because it was Sony.

    ...and the fact that they're going to require an always-on internet connection for single player games shows they have no remorse and have no plans to become any less evil.

    You are thinking of Microsoft and the NextBox. Sony have clearly said they are NOT going to require always-on internet connection for games. So making up lies to support your claim now?

    I'm willing to bet that many of the Sony-haters are XBox fans - who conveniently forget that Microsoft also screwed them over by releasing faulty consoles. Mayhaps you are one of them? Viva la Kinect, right?

    ...you're an idiot ...brain-dead stupid ...You're a fucking idiot ...dumbass.

    Wow, you really have a bee up your bonnet - calling people brain-dead, stupid, idiots and dumb-ass just because they happen to prefer buying well-made products.

    Since you've now insulted me, sworn at me, and called me names multiple times, let me respond in kind: you are a grudge-nursing, bilious, vindictive, jerk.