Generally monopolies are illegal in the US. But public utilities have always been an exception. The theory is that it's so expensive to run residential infrast

Generally monopolies are illegal in the US. But public utilities have always been an exception. The theory is that it's so expensive to run residential infrastructure like wires (electricity, tip-ring phone, cable) or pipes (gas, water, sewer) that a single company gets to do it and charge for it. In return they a) must build their facilities to serve the entire community. No cherrypicking dense or wealthy neighborhoods to jack up return on investment. b) must, in the case of cable TV, offer public access. c) must submit to public utilities commission regulation This theory helped push through widespread rural electrification, which was a major progressive victory in the first third of the 20th century. Is internet-over-Cable-TV infrastructure regulated like Cable TV is regulated? After all it is a repurposing of the regulated infrastructure. In many jurisdictions that's a gray area. Lobbyists and change-averse businessmen LOVE gray areas. They can use them to make legislators' heads hurt, and then say, "pass this law and your heads will stop hurting." It's a tried and true lobbying tactic. Making the case that a public-utility monopoly should be abolished means convincing everybody involved that the infrastructure cost isn't a driver any more. For broadband it generally isn't: the electric utilities usually own the poles and are happy to have another tenant utility. The problem is convincing people. You gotta make the case. Good luck Fort Collins.