Good news about the price of your Internet connection. The marketplace is about to get busted up by a third competitor!

Much of America has suffered under the shared duopoly of the local phone companies offering DSL and the cable giants offering cable modem service. But those who live in distant suburbs or rural areas may only have access to one or even none of those choices.

This is the year that things are about to change.

Clearwire (aka WiMAX) -- a new technology that sends out a blanket high-speed Internet signal to cover an entire metro area -- is set to roll out in a number of new American cities. Baltimore had been the first city to have it on a trial basis.

Coming later in 2009, Clearwire will be extended to Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle, among other cities. That accounts for about one-third of the nation's population.

By 2010, Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. will also be rolled out.

With Clearwire, you can have either floating or fixed wireless Internet. The former allows you to access the Internet when traveling at speeds of about 70 miles per hour -- hopefully as a passenger rather than as a driver!

Clark has a first-generation version of Clearwire at his beach home. He pays about $24/month and has been impressed by its reliability over the course of 3 years. But keep in mind that prices will likely fluctuate as Clearwire rolls out to more markets. The entry of a third player is always a game-changer in a capitalist system.

One word of caution: Be wary of your current Internet service provider trying to lock you into a long-term contract ahead of Clearwire's arrival in your market. With everything that's coming down the pike in 2009 and beyond, you definitely don't want to be locked in!

4G technology -- that's "fourth generation" in industry lingo -- is almost upon us. Sprint is among the leaders in this arena, with their 3G/4G USB Modem U300.

Sprint's 3G/4G modem is essentially an aircard that allows laptop users to wirelessly connect to the Internet. You're able to surf at the faster 4G speeds when you're in a city that has been built out to support the new technology. When you're not, you surf at 3G speeds.

There's no switching necessary on your part; the modem automatically senses 4G where it's available and picks it up.

So far Baltimore is one of the few 4G-equipped cities, but expect to see more cities added throughout 2009. Clark believes this could be great for business travelers during the coming year.

Is that free wifi you're surfing on at the airport or the coffee shop really secure? Forbes reports there's a nearly 75% chance that it's not.

The single worst location for wifi compromises was Newark Airport. Out of all the networks they scanned in that particular airport, only 9% of them were secure. See Forbes' complete tally of results for some of the nation's most popular airports.

So what can you do about it? Simple -- don't under any circumstances visit the website of your bank, credit union and brokerage house or mutual-fund company when using a free wifi connection while you're out and about. The risk is just too great.

Have you heard about the Wi-MAX launch in Baltimore? Wi-MAX is a new technology that sends out a blanket high-speed Internet signal to cover an entire metro area. Clark's hope is that it will break the stranglehold that monopoly cable and phone companies have on Internet access. It should also elevate our Internet experience among the world's nations. Following the Baltimore launch, the bugs will be ironed out and Wi-MAX should roll out in more cities over the next 18 months.

When it comes to the world of cell phones, Clark is excited about a new development from competing low-cost carriers Cricket and Metro. Previously, each provider would dominate a single metro area, effectively boxing the other out. But now they've both agreed to let each other's customers roam in their coverage areas, effectively creating a "poor man's" nationwide network.

Clark recently told you about Time Warner's experimental metering plan for Internet service in Texas. They'll be charging their Lone Star State customers per kilobyte. Now AT&T has announced that such a plan is nearly inevitable for them.

What's going on here?

These ISPs are in terror of people skipping cable or satellite and going straight to the Internet to watch video content. Think about it: Comcast, too, has already admitted degrading the Internet experience of its customers when they watch a competitor's video content. Are you beginning to see a trend here?

Clark's staffers Kim and Joel both watch TV on the Internet, especially via Hulu.com. It's just like on-demand TV without having to pay for anything.

The cable/phone monopolies are trying to choke their Internet customers. This is a byproduct of our nation's shortsighted policy, where only the monopolies control the Internet.

There is, however, a hope on the horizon. Stay tuned for a new wireless way to get on the Internet that will bypass the cable/phone monopolies.

Meanwhile, Kiplinger's has crunched the numbers and figured out that downloading a single movie under Time Warner's metered Internet plan will cost you $30. Imagine if you download 10 movies per month!

They want to eliminate your freedom to watch video with a Time Warner Internet connection. Don't stand for it; anytime an ISP tries to meter you, you need to take your business elsewhere!

Unlimited Internet use has become something of a given in modern life, whether you access via dial-up, DSL, cable modem or another way.

Until now.

Time Warner is launching an experiment in Texas with metered Internet. Much like your utilities, you'll be charged based on your usage.

Why are they trying out this "Dark Ages" approach? Clark believes the cable companies are terrified of people watching TV shows on the Internet for free. It completely demolishes their main business model.

But Time Warner doesn't have a chance with this experiment, according to Clark. This business model could only work if they were the sole provider of the Internet, but that's not the case. There are so many more choices coming, including WiMAX and even the wireless cards from cell carriers that are close to becoming cost-effective.

So if you're in the testing grounds in Texas, don't think you're a sitting duck. Just go to a monopoly phone company for Internet, even if that's the only other choice. At least they aren't metering!

The United States isn't even in the Top 10 worldwide when it comes to a good Internet experience -- we're 15th. Our Internet is slower, more expensive and less reliable than many other developed nations. We're even below some Third World countries! But new technologies coming into the market will blow things open and promise a much different experience -- without metering.

Clearwire is poised to make a huge expansion thanks to a new deal with Sprint Nextel. Over the next 18 months, most midsized cities will have this ultra hi-speed Internet that's superior to what you can get from the monopoly companies. In fact, it's already up and running in Baltimore and Chicago. Clearwire will use WiMAX technology to blanket additional metro areas with a signal. Google, Time Warner and Intel are among those who have staked money on this new deal.

Clark's used Clearwire for about 4 years. Interestingly though, the company hasn't exactly been a financial or operational success so far. That's because what they have offered hasn't necessarily been compelling in price and capability. But that's all likely to change now. Clearwire will deliver true wireless flexibility where you can access hi-speed Internet anywhere. Another fringe benefit may be what Clark calls "poor man's cell phones." These handsets will run you about $3 to $5 a month for unlimited calls!

We've fallen so far behind the rest of the world in Internet experience and price. That's because of the stranglehold the monopoly phone and cable companies have had. But this new Clearwire development may just bring us up to speed. (Editor's note: Some users have reported negative experiences with Clearwire.)

If you're like Clark, you snap a lot of digital photos and then have trouble getting them out of the camera and into the real world. He's too lazy to figure out how to hook up the cable to his computer to print them or upload to a website! There's a new solution to this problem that's been getting some great reviews. A company called Eye-Fi sells a memory chip for your camera with built-in wifi. The chip, which is SD compatible, automatically uploads images to your computer or a photo-sharing site. At $100, Eye-Fi chips cost of about 8 times what you'd pay for a standard 2 GB memory chip. But prices should be dropping by the end of the year. Eye-Fi will work with most major photo-sharing sites including Snapfish, Shutterfly and Flickr.

Meanwhile, the cost of developing pictures is dropping and there are a lot of value-added propositions. Clark recently received a bound, hardcover book with photos and commentary to commemorate a trip that he and his wife took with another couple. That's how advanced photo processing has become. Remember the old days when Clark would recommend having a disposable camera in the trunk so you could take pictures if you were in a fender bender? Today people would probably just use their camera phone and e-mail pictures directly to the police!

Have you heard about the new high-speed Internet option coming to a few U.S. cities in the next 90 days? People in Washington D.C., Chicago and Baltimore will be the first to have access to WiMAX. This new technology sends out a blanket high-speed Internet signal that covers an entire metro area. The cable and phone companies' shared monopoly may soon come to an end. Over the next year or so, roughly 2/3 of the U.S. will have WiMAX access -- barring any tech problems on rollout. But this is not vaporware. WiMAX has already been a huge success in South Korea. Clark's beloved Eee PC is one of the first devices available with WiMAX capability built into it. This coming technology will be a real game changer and may soon alleviate iPhone users' complaints about slow surfing speeds.

WiMAX is a Sprint effort, and it's unfortunate that the company's bad customer-service reputation is taking away from its credibility with this new development. Clearwire is planning to migrate to WiMAX soon. The way you think about Internet today is going to be so different in the near future. Clark wants to emphasize that this is the real deal -- not just something for techies. The pressure WiMAX is going to put on monopolies is intense and will force lower prices and a better user experience. Our Internet experience will catch up (finally!) to that of the Third World countries!

Do you get frustrated when you have to pay an outrageous price for Internet access on the road? Some spots like Panera Bread and Starbucks adopted free wifi early on, and now you'll see salespeople working there in the mornings. The initial cost of setting up free wifi may have been expensive, but now the stores are able to sell a lot more coffee, bagels and pastries to recoup their investment. But what if you're a small business and can't afford the costs of free wifi? Companies like AnchorFree.com (Editor's note: This link was down at last check) now offer ad-supported free wifi to businesses for nothing. Owners that can afford to pay up front have the option of doing so. They can then share in the Internet ad revenue down the road. Those that can't afford to pay up front still get to offer their customers free wifi as an amenity. They just don't get any share of the ad revenue. Talk about a truly free lunch! AnchorFree users see ads at the top of every page when they surf. You actually have to scroll down to get to the content. Advertisers can target people by knowing whether they're serving ads at a Panera vs. a McDonald's or a high-end hotel vs. an econobox motel. Meanwhile, Clark has hooked up his FON service, which allows travelers to tap into his Internet for free. In return, he gets to use other FON customers' Internet for nada when he travels abroad. The idea of having to pay to surf as you travel will start going away.

The Apple nation is in an uproar because the computer giant has slashed iPhone prices by $200. When the iPhone first hit the market, it sold for $600; now it's selling for $400. All the Apple loyalists who stood in line and camped out to buy the iPhone on the first day feel the company owes them back their extra $200. Early adopters always get their wallet emptied out for them. They pay big money to deal with the bugs of something that's new so the rest of us can benefit from it down the road at cheaper prices. No word yet from Apple if they'll make any concessions to those who paid $600. Meanwhile, one big gripe from iPhone users has been that the whole system is built on AT&T's outdated Edge system. So now Apple is offering the iPod Touch. For the same price, the Touch features all the iPhone capabilities except for the phone service! It works on wifi networks, so savvy customers who use Skype and other VoIP providers will still be able to use it to make calls.

In other tech news, there's a new product out there being marketed under the Vudu brand. Vudu is essentially a $400 box that hooks up to your TV and allows you to watch movies on demand instantly. There are 5,000 titles at your fingertips ranging in price from 99 cents for older films to $3.99 for new releases. When you hit play, the movie starts with no download delay. This is possible because the first few minutes of all the movies are stored in the Vudu box. The remainder of the film you select is then downloaded while you watch the flick uninterrupted. Best of all you don't have to leave your home to rent a DVD or wait for it to come in your mailbox. This is very convenient, but you'll be a beta tester if you buy this now. Historically, whenever you shell out for new electronics you're always at a disadvantage. Clark recalls paying $499 for his first GPS unit and now he sees sleeker models that are easier to use for $149!

Here on the show we always give out free advice to you, the consumer. But did you know that we also get it back from our dedicated listeners? After receiving a tip from one such person, we've put up a list of FREE software that you can download from the internet. It's divided into dozens of areas of interest, so you can surf around easily to get software, books, games, free conference calling and so much more. While the quality of stuff that's free is all over the board, you can rest assured that none of it will cost you one thin dime. Bookmark the page...it just may come in handy.

AT&T has done something unethical. When they took over Bellsouth, as part of the deal they were forced to offer an inexpensive plan as one option. They did, offering a slower (768k) DSL connection at $10 per month. It's a great deal. But they hide the link to this service on the website, making it almost impossible to find if you don't know where to look! Well, Clark thinks this stinks, and wants you to know how to find the deal. Here's how:
This direct link will show you all the details:
http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=7690#10_basic
Or, navigate to it this way:

• Go to att.com
  
• Click "View Internet services"
  
• Scroll down page, and just above Terms and Conditions look for the text link that says "Term contract plans available"
  
• See "FastAccess DSL Lite with term agreement" and follow the instructions from there!

UPDATE: This offer expired at the end of 2008.

Competition is the greatest thing for the consumer. Monopolies cost way too much money for consumers and provide horrible service as well because of the lack of competitors. Clearwire is a great alternative internet provide that offers high speed wireless internet that bounces off of cell phone towers. They have over 2 dozen cities that they currently provide service for. Their customer base is up 160% year over year as well. When you purchase Clearwire, it takes all of about 15 seconds to install as well. Their goal is to cover about half of the United States in the next few years. Clearwire, in the cities that it exists in, provides that key third competitor to help drive prices down. Sprint is also rolling out a service that basically does what Clearwire does, so some cities could even see four competitors which could make internet prices lower in a hurry. (Editor's note: Some users have reported negative experiences with Clearwire.)

Clark has been a big fan of high-speed wireless Internet in cities because it’s a way of breaking up the monopoly companies that offer high-speed Internet. Typically, it’s been only cable and phone companies offering this service. But now there is a third option. One company, Clearwire, is about $20 a month and it requires no installation. It works via satellite signal and it’s cheap. Clearwire has been operating quietly and hasn’t been making big waves. But Motorola and Intel are putting about $1 billion into Clearwire to increase the number of markets in which it’s offered. This is great news! Capitalism responds to fear, and fear is a great motivator. So, now that there is a third competitor, it’s going to shake things up. (Editor's note: Some users have reported negative experiences with Clearwire.)

Clark talks about Loki and Slingbox - new GPS and television gadgets. Just remember to disable your pop-up blocker if you have one in order to listen.

How would you like to travel anywhere in the world and connect to high speed Internet for free? It’s going to be possible because of a partnership between Google (of the United States), Skype (of Astonia) and Fon (of Spain). It’s basically a co-op whereby everyone shares connections with each other. Right now, many people have wireless Internet in their homes and they work around the house wirelessly. This venture allows other people to participate in the wireless signal without having access to your info. You just sign in wherever you are around the world and connect. It’s not everywhere, but it’s spreading fast. So, what’s it called? Well, it is named after the guy who invented the Linux network. His name is “Linus.” A second network is also available for people who want to sell their access when they travel. It’s named after Bill Gates and is called, what else, “Bill.” Linus members are signing up at a quicker rate than Bill members. But to learn more about either, go to fon.com.

How would you like to travel anywhere in America and surf the Web for free. That is a promise coming from three companies: Skype, Fon and Google. The three have set up a joint venture that allows you to share your Internet access with member of a co-op and vice versa. If you’re a member, you enter all of the cities where you’ll be and the system spits back locations where you can get access. Thousands of people are signing up every day. The network is called “Linus” and it’s named after the man who invented the Linus operating system. That system is free. The other option is to join the “Bill” network, which costs money and is named after Bill Gates. To learn more about it, go to fon.com and sign up. You’re going to see this all over the world because it just makes too much sense.

You can now get high-speed Internet in Silicone Valley near San Francisco FOR FREE! That’s right! A company called “Metro Fi” is offering free Wi-Fi for people in the area. Its creators had been charging $19.95 a month, and still charges this amount if you want the service outright. But the company now offers access for free if you are willing to look at ads while you surf. It symbolizes a morphing in the advertising and Web industries and it will set precedent that is likely to be followed. Clearwire is another breakthrough Wi-Fi company that is popping up around the country.

Americans are paying exorbitant prices for high speed Internet compared to other developed countries. The industry has been under the control of a shared monopoly: the cable and telephone industries. And, we’re paying about 8 times as much in the States. But there is some hope for us. First of all, high speed Internet through power lines is becoming more of a reality. The biggest rollout is going on in Texas, where about 2 million people will have access to Internet access through the “BPL” or broadband over power lines. You just plug your Internet connection into the electrical outlet, and you can move it around the room to any outlet. It will be much cheaper than the phone line or cable service, possibly getting down to as little as $5 a month. Ohio is also experimenting with BPL and hopefully others will pick up on it. So, there are little rays of hope out there for Internet users. But right now, we’re stuck way behind the rest of the world.

Lots of Web users are surfing with high-speed connections these days. Dial-up is going the way of the Do-Do bird. As a result, AOL is now offering content for free. People have been abandoning the company because it costs so much to subscribe. So, the company is catching on and offering a Yahoo-type experience with portals and free content. The company is also offering free e-mail through its Instant Messenger site, aim.com. So, get your free account today. In other Net news, a third player is sneaking into the game. “Wireless Mesh” and “Wi-Max” are a few of the names used for this service. For the next 18 months or so, the two monopoly industries – cable and telephone – are going to dominate and gouge us. But after that, wireless will be available and it will bring the prices down.

Technology is everywhere these days. Clark wants you to be careful when signing up for high-speed Internet. He’s leery of you signing a contract with your cable or DSL company because costs are so high. Not to mention the fact that new, cheaper ways of connecting are on the horizon. A third way to get high speed Internet is now in certain cities in Florida, Minnesota and Texas. You can now connect over wireless connections and via your phone line in some cities. A company called “Clearwire” is offering this kind of technology, which is called Wi-Max. Service starts at $24 a month. Also, Sprint will have a wireless Internet service accessible through your cell phone later this year. So, traditional high-speed companies have a lot to fear with these new technologies. They’re going to try to gouge you as a result. Don’t get taken. Hold out for the cheaper high speed service. (Editor's note: Some users have reported negative experiences with Clearwire.)

High-speed Internet prices in the U.S. are outrageous compared to other countries. We pay about $40 a month for “high-speed” access, whereas people in other countries pay under $10 a month for much faster access. It’s because of the two monopoly enterprises that bring us high-speed access each month – phone companies and cable companies. It’s always the third industry that upsets the apple card and busts open the price boost. In Addison, Texas, it may have happened. The town put out a bid to set up a wireless high-speed system throughout the community. Residents who want access will pay about half of what most people are now paying. It’s a marketplace solution that will cause competition and Clark loves it. Government can help other parts of the country by allowing other competitors in a typical monopoly industry. Similar ideas have been started in Chicago and Jacksonville. And the phone and cable people will try to get laws enacted to stifle competition. But Clark hopes government listens to its citizens and gives them choices.

How would you like to access the Internet for free or almost free worldwide? People in Asia, for instance, pay about $5 a month for high-speed Internet access. About half of the American public now has high-speed access, but we are still way behind many other countries. That’s because it’s so expensive here, with prices ranging from $40 to $50 a month for high-speed service. The way to reduce that cost today is to build high speed networks within your community. You can use what’s called “Wi-Fi” or wireless technology, or you can go to restaurants and coffee shops to work on a high speed wireless connection. The phone companies and cable companies are terrified of this development. They have had a monopoly on the high-speed Internet business and, therefore, can charge you whatever they want. They are so scared of the “wi-fi” trend that they have gone to Congress to fight it. Apparently it’s worked in Pennsylvania, where it is now illegal to use these networks. It’s just ridiculous. Why don’t these companies simply offer more affordable prices instead of trying to eliminate competition?

Clark has noticed that the cost of wireless networking systems for the home has gotten dirt cheap. More than 50 percent of us now use high-speed connections, and many more people now have more than one computer. So the need for wireless networks has increased. It’s neat and simple to do. The only problem is if you live in an apartment, condo or a neighborhood where home are close together, your neighbors can tap into your network and use your Internet access. They either use your network to get online for free, or they can burglarize the information on your computer. It might not be a big deal if you don’t have much on your computer. But if you have financial information or other confidential information on there, you don’t want people tapping into your network. It’s very easy to set up. All you have to do is set up a password on your wireless account. So, be careful!