The real problem is the ownership of the physical lines that interconnect everything. The high cost and the limited right of way access prevents duplication of physical networks leaving one company in ownership thus control and this is a monopoly. This is why most North American cities (Canada and the United States) have one cable company and one phone company in each region. Services from competitors and small companies just access, use and resell from the single company in the region. In BC for Example you have Shaw and Telus. Bell, Videotron, Rogers rents access over the Telus Network in most cases.
What is really needed is to separate the physical network form the service provider. We need a Provincially and State owned network or county or city owned networks with one mandate only. Provide a physical network and charge a price to maintain and grow it. owners of homes and businesses and other buildings would pay for the last mile connection to the network and own that last mile connection. Companies like Bell, Rogers, and dozens upon dozens of small companies offering service be it phone or internet or TV can plug hardware into the network and provide such services. Both the consumer and the ISP pay a network access fee that pays for the network. But this puts every one on equal footing because its the same fee. the physical network can't throttle or control or manipulate any of the content. Would be easy for small companies to expand by adding hardware into data center locations all over the network. Would allow consumers to buy and plug in equipment to allow for point to point VPN connections between family members at a fair price.
It is the only way to solve this issue. I would suggest the same be done with the Cell Phone networks. The Cities and Provinces and States own the towers using all the frequencies and they charge a access fee to the subscriber and phone provider to manage and expand the network. Any company could start up a cell service and compete head to head. As long as the core infrastructure is owned by one entity that has its own motives on how to use it, it will always be a monopoly situation and thats bad for business and consumers and innovation. Take the expensive part out of the puzzle and make it a public owned resource let the ISP and companies fight for customers on equal footing.
What is really needed is to separate the physical network form the service provider. We need a Provincially and State owned network or county or city owned networks with one mandate only. Provide a physical network and charge a price to maintain and grow it. owners of homes and businesses and other buildings would pay for the last mile connection to the network and own that last mile connection. Companies like Bell, Rogers, and dozens upon dozens of small companies offering service be it phone or internet or TV can plug hardware into the network and provide such services. Both the consumer and the ISP pay a network access fee that pays for the network. But this puts every one on equal footing because its the same fee. the physical network can't throttle or control or manipulate any of the content. Would be easy for small companies to expand by adding hardware into data center locations all over the network. Would allow consumers to buy and plug in equipment to allow for point to point VPN connections between family members at a fair price.
It is the only way to solve this issue. I would suggest the same be done with the Cell Phone networks. The Cities and Provinces and States own the towers using all the frequencies and they charge a access fee to the subscriber and phone provider to manage and expand the network. Any company could start up a cell service and compete head to head. As long as the core infrastructure is owned by one entity that has its own motives on how to use it, it will always be a monopoly situation and thats bad for business and consumers and innovation. Take the expensive part out of the puzzle and make it a public owned resource let the ISP and companies fight for customers on equal footing.