You should read recent Level3 blogs showing that actually currently those companies don't have any incentive to improve their infrastructure, because keeping it

You should read recent Level3 blogs showing that actually currently those companies don't have any incentive to improve their infrastructure, because keeping it in bad shape generates them more money. I know it is counter-intuitive but that's what it is. Regional ISPs are natural monopolies and there's no other way but to regulate them. Same as you regulate electricity company, water, gas etc. You can't just let everyone dig holes around city to place new wires, pipes etc. There's no other way then regulating it. BTW: If Comcast and Time Warner would move to a different methods of delivering access then it's all even better we will have more alternatives than just cable, or dsl. If instead they would decide to close down and sell, then I'm sure there would be plenty of other companies who would want to purchase their infrastructure with their subscribers to make money out of it.