The average household in the United Kingdom pays 9% less for broadband, phone, and television service than a decade ago, even though data usage has exploded and the country is embarked on a massive broadband upgrade effort. Contrast that with reports the average household in the United States is facing rate increases averaging 8-10% annually, even though the costs to deliver service have been declining for years.

According to a Ofcom report reviewing price trends, the average British resident today pays an average of $164.35 a month for broadband, television, landline and mobile phone services. Many U.S. households spend close to that amount before including their mobile phone bill.

In Great Britain, where competing companies have open access to the country’s telephone network, the average price of an entry-level broadband and landline package dropped at least 25% to $42 a month. A similar package from Charter Communications costs $64.98 a month for the first year, before prices rise to over $80 a month in year two. In the United Kingdom, a triple play package of phone, TV, and internet access now averages $53.14 a month. In the United States, it averages well over $100 a month.

The British, like their North American counterparts, are voracious consumers of internet data, consuming 132GB per household in 2016, up from 8GB in 2008. But despite increased usage, the cost of internet service in Britain has dropped, even with heavy investment in fiber optic network upgrades.

In Great Britain, multiple providers compete by offering services over existing telecom networks. In the last three years, customers have been able to choose from 551 different dual and triple play offers from several different companies, up from 294 just three years ago. Most now choose discounted bundles of multiple services under a single provider. But customers can still choose a plan that most closely fits their needs. In the United States, some providers like Charter Communications are eliminating most ions for customers, preferring to sell a more-costly, one-size fits all broadband and phone option.