re: #168 Colère Tueur de Lapin

Yes, it is monopolistic. But, with the removal of net neutrality regulations it can become infinitely more restrictive. Your local ISP can throttle out any content provider they wish and basically make access to only sites to be that they permit; e.g., their entertainment sources.

IIRC, the big three networks tried very hard to restrict cable TV from competing with them, until they realized it would be far better to join them than fight them. Ditto Ma Bell, which had a total monopoly of telephone service and equipment, until finally someone was allowed to sell people phones they could keep, and not just rent from the telephone company.

Cellular providers apply a similar trick by locking the handsets they “sell” to their own network. When I first came to China, I had to perform some technical wizardry on my phone so I could use it with a Chinese carrier.