The East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative started charging for the amount of data customers were using on 12/26. For many people, this will result in Internet prices that are unreasonable and unjust. They have decided to price DSL and their new wireless offering similarly to cellular internet since they do not have any other competition. The new prices are as follows for 3 Mbps internet:

5 Gigabytes - $24.95

15 Gigabytes - $64.95

25 Gigabytes - $99.95

50 Gigabytes - $179.95

75 Gigabytes - $249.95

100 Gigabytes - $299.95

All overages are $5 per Gigabyte

All other communities near Winthrop, Quasqueton, Aurora and Stanley do not charge for the amount of data that someone uses. All of these prices are for unlimited plans 3 Mbps or faster unless noted.

Independence, IA - Indytel - $31.95

Rowley, IA and Masonville, IA - PrairieiNet Wireless Internet- $29.95

Manchester, IA - Mediacom - $9.95 - 250 GB cap, $10 per 50 GB for overages

Vinton, IA - USA Communications Co Op - $43.95 - 1.5 Mbps

Center Point, IA and Central City, IA - USA Communications Co Op - $44.95

Urbana, IA and Alburnett, IA - USA Communications Co Op - $39.95

Springville, IA - Springville Coop - $52.00

Strawberry Point, IA - Windstream - $49.99

Monona, IA - Neit - $44.99

Palo, IA - Palo Coop - $44.95

People who work from home or are attending college online are especially impacted by these changes. They may no longer be able to afford to work or go to school. East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative gets their internet through NetINS. NetINS is the company that provides internet connectivity to most of the companies and cooperatives listed above. NetINS only charges for bandwidth, not the amount of data used. For example, someone who uses 250 GB a month and 3 GB a month who are both on a 3 Mbps plan both cost EBTC the same amount to service. EBTC will charge the customer using 3 GB per month $24.95 while the customer using 250 GB per month will be charged $1,049.95. In all other cities near the EBTC the customer using 250 GB would be charged a maximum of $52.00. East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative needs to change this pricing model and treat their customers fairly.