Utilities are the essential services that maintain your home, apartment, or business comfortable and functional. Water, sewer, electric, gas, trash, and recycling are all common utilities. Cable TV, internet, security, and phone service are all examples of technology subscriptions that might be called utilities.
With one key exception: who pays the utility bills, home utilities are comparable to apartment utilities. Utilities may be divided between the renter and the landlord in an apartment. In a house, however, the homeowner is responsible for contracting and paying for the essential services.
Water and sewer
You are responsible for establishing water and sewage services with your city municipality when you purchase a home. You may pay a monthly flat price, a seasonal cost, a water budget-based rate, or another sort of rate, depending on where you reside.
Electric and gas
Although natural gas may not be required in your home, electricity is a must! Electricity prices vary by state, and we track them down to the cent every day at EnergyBot. Homeowners can save money on electricity and gas by installing high-quality insulation in their walls and utilizing energy-efficient equipment.
Trash and recycling
You’ll have to pay a monthly fee if you want the city to pick up your garbage and recyclables every week. Rates for curbside rubbish collection vary by area, and contracts for household waste collection are usually overseen by your local city government.
Technology
Contact your favorite service providers to connect your home to amenities such as cable TV, internet, and phone service. Because these aren’t required services, you can choose which provider and service level you want. Homeowners can save money on technology by purchasing a modem and router rather than renting them, and by opting for streaming services rather than cable.
Security
Home security isn’t a must-have feature, but it can help you sleep better. Prepare to pay for installation and equipment up front, as well as a monthly monitoring cost, when choosing a security system.
What exactly does a utility entail?
What are utilities, exactly? Electricity, gas, water, sewer, Internet, telephone, cable TV, security systems, and, in some places, garbage collection are all examples of utilities in a home. These are the things you’ll need in your daily life to ensure you have a functional, comfortable, and habitable environment.
What does not qualify as a utility?
Many people are assessing the benefits and drawbacks of providing internet connection as a public utility in an era when the digital gap is more visible than ever. Water, gas, and electricity are examples of public utilities that have monopolistic control over the services they provide, which implies that the internet, as a public utility, would be subject to rules and rates would be set at the discretion of the corporation. The infrastructure for public utilities in the United States is already obsolete, and the nature of these services does not correspond to the nature of the internet. Given the business structures of other public utility companies, offering internet access as a public utility would be a mistake because it would eliminate healthy competition between internet companies and national cohesive coverage, both of which are necessary for the advancement of technology, internet freedom, and keeping rates low.
Campbell, Martin, and Fabos (2017) define the digital divide as the disparity between those who can afford internet service and associated technology such as phones and computers, and others who cannot afford to acquire a computer or pay for online services. As the digital era continues, the gap is widening, and “One of the key arguments in support of establishing internet as a public utility is the inability to receive service from the nation’s leading internet providers, which is why 39% of rural Americans do not have access to broadband internet (1). According to Campbell, Martin, and Fabos, the number of Americans who use smartphones will increase from 55 percent to 77 percent by 2020. Because the internet is such a crucial element of job seeking, communication, arranging appointments, and other important tasks, it’s critical that equal access to the internet be prioritized.
The internet is a resource that should be available to everyone in some manner, shape, or form, but, similar to how one must pay a water or electricity bill, the internet can still be made available to the entire public without being a centralized and monopolized utility. Making the internet a public utility, with only one provider per specified area, would only injure consumers in the long term since it would reduce the necessary competition for technology and economics. “Food, clothing, and shelter are examples of “essentials,” according to Larry Downes, and, like the internet, individuals require these commodities, yet they are not considered a public service. Currently, the majority of American households have a choice of at least three internet providers, and restricting this to just one would be a mistake “dangerously inadequate fit (2). Most people’s capacity to pay for their own internet in the same way they pay for clothing and housing eliminates the necessity for it to be a public service.
The internet sector relies on competition between internet providers, and making it a public utility would eliminate this healthy competition. Because of their monopolization and lack of competition, public utility corporations are frequently unable to innovate, putting a halt to internet-related innovation (2). Furthermore, unlike competing internet providers, public utilities do not go out of their way to impress customers. The ideal answer is for the US government to regulate internet providers’ abilities to limit users’ use of the networks, such as not allowing providers to manipulate the speed of specific cities in order to promote one business over another (3). Making the internet a public utility and monopolizing it in specific places is a less effective approach of providing equal access to the internet than regulating internet providers.
Classifying the Internet as a public utility and operating it similarly to water and electricity would not only be costly for taxpayers, but it would also impose unneeded restrictions on internet users. According to the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, regulating the internet would simply remove the government’s incentive for internet innovation, and it would become a neglected, stagnant utility similar to the outdated infrastructure that currently supports water, electricity, and gas (4). Repairing America’s infrastructure for current utilities would cost over $3 trillion, thus adding the internet to the list would merely add to an already antiquated and damaged system (2). If the internet is combined with local services such as electricity, the quality of service is likely to deteriorate, something that Americans are already frustrated with (2).
While having access to the internet is crucial for citizens, it should not be regarded a public utility like water, electricity, or natural gas because the current system is the best fit for the nature of the internet. The internet’s purpose would be undermined by the regulations that would be imposed on it. The FCC is currently monitoring the power of internet providers such as Verizon and AT&T to ensure that users have equal rights, such as equal speed on all websites and privacy protection. Monopolizing the internet business would be detrimental since competition among internet providers is essential for internet technology advancement and the economy. Because of the nature of the internet’s consumers and the architecture of the network, introducing the internet to the United States’ aging electrical infrastructure would be undesirable. While the internet is required for many crucial functions such as job hunting, research, and communication, it should be seen as a necessity in the same way that clothing and shelter are.
- R. Campbell, C. R. Martin, and B. Fabos (2017). An introduction to mass communication through the media and culture (11th ed.). Bedford/St. Martins is a neighborhood in Boston.
Is Netflix comparable to an energy bill?
Electricity, gas, water/sewage, and waste disposal are all examples of utility costs. Other services, such as internet, cable TV, and phone service, are sometimes considered extra utilities, despite the fact that they are now regarded standard in most American homes.
What are the four different sorts of utility?
People buy products and services in order to gain some benefit or happiness. When they ingest it, they are able to satisfy a need or desire. Economic utility is the term for this occurrence. Form utility, time utility, place utility, and possession utility are the four essential ideas that lie under this umbrella. Understanding and adjusting marketing and production efforts to the way people buy and consume items can help businesses increase sales and income.
What is the definition of a utility bill?
A utility bill can include things like power, gas, water, and garbage. TV, internet, and phone plans are now considered utilities in most Irish households because they are frequent expenses.
The cost of your utility bills might vary significantly depending on your location, use habits, climate, home size, and other factors. You should constantly double-check the contents on your electricity statement because it contains important information.
Meter readings, price plans, balances, and payment deadlines are all important considerations when it comes to electricity and gas bills. You can also compare the unit usage to past bills to ensure that no energy is being wasted.
Check out our 101 methods to save money on your energy costs for more information on how to save money on your home bills.
Is there a prepayment meter in your house? For more information on this payment method, see our PAYG (pay as you go) page.
Is a phone bill considered a utility?
Is a telephone bill considered a utility bill? Phone bills are commonly classified as utility bills. However, this only applies to landlines, not mobile phones. Telephone companies’ invoices are utility bills, and they, like energy suppliers, provide a service to the general public.
Is Internet access regarded as a necessity?
People may participate in the digital world, which now includes our daily life, thanks to broadband. It allows people to stay in touch with their relatives and friends, keep up with what’s going on in the country and around the world, and gain access to an infinite number of useful information and services. Broadband has been crucial in facilitating online learning and work, access to healthcare and medical information, and even vaccine delivery during the COVID-19 epidemic. During the outbreak, 87% of respondents said the internet was crucial to them, and 53% said broadband is necessary for critical purposes and everyday duties.
Why, if broadband is so important, does existing federal policy prevent the Federal Communications Commission from regulating it in the same manner that we regulate other public utilities like electricity, water, and phones? Why can’t the FCC ensure internet affordability, avoid bill shock, mandate network resilience, and prevent carriers from retiring older networks without replacing them? I’ll go through some of the specifics of broadband classification, explain why broadband should be classified as a utility, and outline what has to happen to make that a reality.
First and foremost, if you’ve followed our work or this topic in the past, you’re probably acquainted with the term “net neutrality.” It’s crucial to note that we’re not simply talking about net neutrality when we talk about Title II of the Communications Act. As part of the long-running campaign for net neutrality, Title II has entered the public debate. However, the debate is over whether broadband should be classified as a common carrier, which is an economic rule that compels a service provider to serve all consumers and treat all classes of similar customers equally. Net neutrality laws are a type of common carriage that can exist even if a service is not provided as a public utility.
But there’s more to Title II than meets the eye! Reclassifying broadband as a “telecommunications service” under Title II would allow the FCC to regulate it in a manner more akin to that of public utilities. Treating anything as a utility implies that the service is so important that the government must ensure that everyone has fair, reasonable, and cheap access in some way. Utility regulations often allow for a number of broadband-related features, such as ubiquitous, low-cost access and high-quality service.
The truth is that the majority of people believe that broadband is necessary and should be considered like a utility. According to a recent Consumer Reports poll, 80% of consumers say internet is as necessary as water and electricity. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was recently passed by Congress, recognizes this, stating that “the term ‘covered utility payment’ means payment for a service for the distribution of electricity, gas, water, transportation, telephone, or internet access for which service began before February 15, 2020.”
The need for high-speed Internet is undeniable. The FCC’s Title II designation means that it can impose network resiliency, reliable backup power, blackout prevention, network replacement, and other steps to guarantee that we are prepared in the event of an emergency. From the California wildfires in 2020 to AT&T’s recent decision to cut nationwide DSL broadband services to the winter storm in Texas that left millions without internet, there are several examples of the necessity for this.
Title II would allow the FCC to aim toward universal coverage and avoid digital redlining, which causes lower-income populations to have slower and more expensive access than those in higher-income areas. This is critical for a variety of aspects of our society, including children affected by the digital divide, workers who are increasingly encouraged or compelled to use the internet at home, and small businesses seeking new clients.
Title II would also establish assurances for price, consumer protection, and service quality, all of which are vital in a country with the world’s most expensive broadband and individuals who regularly access healthcare and critical information via the internet. Utility regulation, without a doubt, results in more egalitarian access. And the very nature of broadband necessitates it.
In the short run, the FCC should reclassify broadband as a Title II telecommunications service as soon as possible. This will provide it the legal authority to defend customers from internet service provider abuses, such as blocking unreasonable data caps and communications shut-offs, preserving net neutrality and network resilience, and enforcing universal service and enhanced affordability initiatives.
The fact that we are a public utility means that we must provide inexpensive access in the long run. The importance of broadband is just too great to leave its acceptance to chance. That’s why we’ve asked Congress to grant a $50-per-month broadband subsidy to low-income households. The current Emergency Broadband Benefits program, which gives a short-term $50-per-month subsidy for the pandemic, shows that Congress and the FCC recognize the need of a subsidy. (The existing FCC Lifeline program only pays low-income Americans with $9.25 per month for broadband access, which is insufficient to cover the connections that families require.)
Broadband connection should not be considered a luxuries. In this digital age, being able to communicate and function is critical. It’s time to reclassify it under Title II and treat it as the public utility that it is. Then it’s time to make sure that those in need can afford it by offering a suitable subsidy.
We’ve seen what happens when it’s not recognized as a public utility: users are at the whim of ISPs in terms of availability and pricing, because ISPs are driven to prioritize profit over the public good. It’s obvious than ever before how critical high-speed internet connectivity is. It’s past time to take efforts toward ensuring that everyone has fair and appropriate access.
Which of the following are five instances of utilities?
The following are some frequent utility examples.
- Water. Water services for residences and businesses.
- Sewage. Services that collect and return used water before it becomes waste.