I suspect the major considerations for choosing a service provider are price, availability, and service quality. Potential customers are more likely to consider

I suspect the major considerations for choosing a service provider are price, availability, and service quality. Potential customers are more likely to consider municipal broadband if they are either unhappy with their current service or that service is less than gigabit speed. I also suspect the incumbents aren't troubled by competition in areas where they provide gigabit service with strong reliability but they will fight to the death to keep municipal broadband out of areas they hope to expand into. Both of those assumptions, if accurate, would suggest network access is, at least secretly, perceived as a utility by both the providers and customers.