4 ms·

This has nothing to do with the free market. Both companies are government granted "natural" monopolies.

• deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
• welterde 13y ago
  Huh? How is it something that the government granted?
  • JeffL 13y ago
    No other company can legally lay cable in the same areas as these companies. Same "natural monopoly" deal that governs the electric, phone, and water utilities.
    • welterde 13y ago
      Interesting.. That's indeed rather limiting. That being said, I don't think that's true in Germany (where the balance in your bank account is pretty much the only limiting factor for getting some cables into the ground) and still the ISP market is not to doing too well. Regional ISPs are pretty much the only ones capable of delivering a decent service (if you are lucky enough to live close to one).