The anti-competitive forces that foil speedy, affordable broadband

From Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Santa Monica, California, hundreds of communities in the U.S. have been able to provide consumers and businesses with affordable broadband over locally owned and controlled fiber and coaxial networks. But San Francisco, the epicenter of the digital revolution, can’t match the success of these smaller municipalities, many with far fewer resources and civic wealth. San Francisco is not alone. While publicly owned fiber networks work well in smaller towns, not a single big US city has been able to replicate the success of cities elsewhere in the world. San Francisco’s failure mirrors the feeble state of broadband in the United States: 1) Competition is sparse, 2) The incumbent players have political clout, and 3) ISPs hog the poles. Until the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies push for more competition, and state legislatures shake off the influence of the giant ISPs and cable companies, the United States will be stuck with second-rate connectivity.