[lockhouse]

The cable monopolies are the robber barons of our time. Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, and, Microsoft all have competition. There is no real alternative to my cable internet provider. Satellite and 5G cellular are not effective competition and the old landline phone companies seem to have given up on expanding residential fiber.

[donalhunt]

Ireland (and I suspect other European countries) seem to have found a good model.

Right now, we have the following:

- FTTH networks (3 - POTS successor, electric company, government rollout) - cable TV networks in urban areas (docsis, fiber coming allegedly) - fixed wireless - 4g / 5g fixed installs - 4g / 5g hotspots - LEO / geostationary satellite

For most technologies (except cable), there is competition through retail companies that rely on wholesale providers for the network. Residents in urban areas typically have access to 1-2 high speed (FTTH / fast docsis) options but coverage is still variable countrywide.

In most urban areas, there are metro networks that businesses can tap into which reduces the cost of landing (diverse) fibers.