Without that "free lunch", the incumbents will still likely have the advantage in perpetuity. There will be fewer competitors as the cost will be a non-starter.

Without that "free lunch", the incumbents will still likely have the advantage in perpetuity. There will be fewer competitors as the cost will be a non-starter. Unless backed by some deep-pocketed entity that doesn't mind the possibility of losing a lot. The tech is already proven, and there's not enough value in the incremental improvements that'd make a new entrant sustainable. So even if the pipes were reopened, behind walls there won't be much demand.