> compared to actually competitive markets, not local monopolies
...and I want a pony!
Last-mile infrastructure tends towards monopoly unless you provide it through the government or regulate it so heavily you might as well have. There is too much cost in redundant buildout to support competition and it's too difficult to tell dumping from price discovery to just fix it with antitrust. Not to mention for the last 40 years the USA has pursued antitrust with less enthusiasm than a decaffinated sloth, so leaning on antitrust would be an idea so terrible that only a corporate lobbyist should ever propose such a thing (and we shouldn't allow that either, but let's talk about one evil at a time).
Last-mile was the "network effects" before "network effects" -- the game theoretic cheat code for capitalism that all the rich investors dreamed about owning. There's a reason why we don't let the free market provide roads or utilities, and that same reason absolutely applies to internet service. This has been proven again and again and again across the nation by letting the game play out and seeing the inevitable result. Why do you think the game will end differently on the 4,952nd playthrough?
...and I want a pony!
Last-mile infrastructure tends towards monopoly unless you provide it through the government or regulate it so heavily you might as well have. There is too much cost in redundant buildout to support competition and it's too difficult to tell dumping from price discovery to just fix it with antitrust. Not to mention for the last 40 years the USA has pursued antitrust with less enthusiasm than a decaffinated sloth, so leaning on antitrust would be an idea so terrible that only a corporate lobbyist should ever propose such a thing (and we shouldn't allow that either, but let's talk about one evil at a time).
Last-mile was the "network effects" before "network effects" -- the game theoretic cheat code for capitalism that all the rich investors dreamed about owning. There's a reason why we don't let the free market provide roads or utilities, and that same reason absolutely applies to internet service. This has been proven again and again and again across the nation by letting the game play out and seeing the inevitable result. Why do you think the game will end differently on the 4,952nd playthrough?