[jpgvm]

Verizon, TWC, Comcast. All of these providers are local monopolies.

This is the root of the problem.

Here in Australia I can choose any number of retail ISPs that will service my Fibre to the Home connection. If I was not living in the building I am now I would be able to choose any number of ADSL ISPs. This creates competition and fixes the problem.

Funnily enough this access is legislated here in Australia. Yes. Legislated.

There can be no ISP monopolies in Australia.

Better yet we have embarked on building a Fibre to the Home national network called the National Broadband Network which functions under the same scheme, ensuring we won't have any bullshit monopolies for the foreseeable future.

Americans should campaign for the same solution, enforce last-mile wholesale and legislate separation of ISP retail from ISP wholesale business units.

Everyone wins.

[jedrek]

I firmly believe markets should be regulated for competition. I'm sure there are examples of companies merging and creating an improved experience for their customers, but I can't think of any. On the other hand, I can list half a dozen companies I've done business with, where a merger has reduced the quality of service and while increasing its price.

Tons of markets that have been "deregulated" have become more competitive - national airlines in Europe, Ma Bell in the US - but they are almost all about breaking up a government sponsored/created monopoly. The US market telecom market has done an amazing job re-merging, to the point that a few more mergers and it'll be Ma Bell all over again.

[Veratyr]

> Better yet we have embarked on building a Fibre to the Home national network called the National Broadband Network

Just feel I should add that while we did embark on building a Fibre to the Home network, after the last election we're switching to a Fibre to the Node network instead.

[grecy]

Everyone wins.

No. The rich can't get obscenely richer.