Connected! But at What Cost?

In the seventh episode of Internet Changemakers, hosts Claire van Zwieten and Noha Ashraf AbdelBaky sit down with Alejandra Stolk to unpack one of the most tangible questions people have about the Internet: why is my connection so expensive—and is it worth the cost? Alejandra, an alumna of both the ISOC Mid-Career and Community Fellowships, is president of the Internet Society’s Venezuela Chapter and network connectivity manager at the University of the Andes. She guides listeners through how geography, infrastructure, policy, and market dynamics all shape what appears on the monthly Internet bill.​ 

Alejandra explains the Internet using the analogy of a highway built from routers, switches, and devices, where every segment—from global backbones to the “last mile” into homes—has a price tag attached. She outlines how costs vary depending on whether a community is served by fiber optics, wireless links, or satellite.  She also explains why areas with only one or two Internet Service Providers (ISPs) often face higher prices and poorer service due to limited competition and difficult terrain. From mountainous regions in the Andes to dense urban centers like London, she illustrates how physical geography and local economics intersect to raise or lower connectivity costs.​Looking ahead, she calls for future internet leaders who are more gender-diverse, grounded in both technical and policy awareness, and ready to defend encryption, openness, and resilience against attempts to fragment or weaken the network.