[joebubna]

Google tried to roll out becoming an ISP and the costs were too great for the potential revenue they'd make back. You should read the article below, but not only is laying new cables down costly (which isn't helped when AT&T and Comcast use the legal system to stop Google), but many Americans buy their internet as part of a package that includes TV and/or phone service too. Meaning to be a serious competitor that can get enough customers to be profitable, you have to also offer TV and phone service to compete with the incumbents.

Read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/10/26...

If becoming a successful ISP is too difficult for Google... then who is going to be able to do it? Who is going to provide the competition to the monopolies of Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner?

In a system where preventing a monopoly (and ensuring consumer protection) through competition isn't possible, then that's where regulation is needed.

If you feel there is a better way, I'd be interested to hear about it.

EDIT: See my response about the possibility of Municipal Broadband here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15925827