I am told we can go back to using local ISPs

[hunter]

40. I grew up without DVDs or video cassettes, and only three usable television channels...

...not too snowy to watch. There were no perfectly clear channels, without snow, without ghosts. Our community did have cable, but that was only nine television channels and the optional "Movie Channel." Sometimes we had cable, sometimes not, depending upon my parent's finances. Sometimes we didn't have working televisions at all.

My wife and I were still renting video cassettes when I first signed onto DU, and I was lucky to get 36k on my internet connection. Back then an internet connection was only available from local ISPs because AT&T and Comcast didn't offer residential internet service. I've never had internet service from AT&T, Comcast, or any other major telcom.

It's not likely I'll ever own a 4K television.

Netflix is our only video streaming service and I've got that limited to medium resolution 0.7 GB per hour and one channel. The quality is good enough for my sorry eyes, and better than video cassettes ever were. My wife and I don't watch any broadcast television. Our television is a movie player, that's all it does. No commercials.

I'm lucky to live in a place with independent Internet Service Providers. Even if my ISP's speed maxed out at that medium level of Netflix service I'd still prefer them to AT&T, and I'd especially prefer them over Comcast. As things are Comcast/Xfinity fills my mailbox with junk mail that goes straight into the recycling bin unopened.

I grant you that Internet service in the U.S.A. generally sucks, and that the politicians and bureaucrats owned by the big telcoms are largely responsible for this. If the telcoms won't provide solid internet service to all U.S. residents then we need government programs similar to rural electrification or the interstate highway system to bring higher speed service to all.

My own hostility towards Comcast is so great I'd probably rather go back to 128k ISDN internet speeds than do business with them. DU isn't unusable at that speed if larger gifs and videos are blocked.

My point is that we don't have to do business with the corporations we despise. If enough Comcast and other telcom customers tell these giant corporations to go pound sand we may force them abandon their 20th century business models, quit seeking protections from corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, and actually sell their customers excellent service at competitive rates.