# Um, I thought this was a free fucking market!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 22, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595 "2006-02-22T05:28:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/1 "2006-02-22T05:28:19Z")
So Verison has been laying down fiber-optic cables in my neighborhood lately to offer it’s denizens _super-bradband/super fast_ internet services. They would like to offer televised services as well, but they can’t, because the cable companies are fighting them tooth and nail in an effort to stop them. I mean really. What fucking leg could the cable companies possibly have to stand on? THEY’RE LAYING DOWN THEIR OWN FUCKING CABLES FCOL!! At their own expence witch I know can’t be cheap. I could understand if it was like the phone companies where in they have to share the same phone lines, but sheesh!! this is something completely different!! I hope Verison drives these fuck wads out of business!! \*\*then years from now I can pit Verison for being money grubbing whores with lousy service. but hey, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/2 "2006-02-22T05:43:32Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > \*\*then years from now I can pit Verison for being money grubbing whores with lousy service. but hey, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. 😃 Nah, it’ll only take one year, max. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/3 "2006-02-22T05:47:20Z")
Most utilities, including cable and phone providers, have government granted monopolies. It is this guarantee of no competition that convinces them to invest the huge amouts of initial capital to construct the infrastructure. In exchange for the monopoly power, the government regulates prices. Now, if you had invested untold billions to build a cable infrastructure with the understanding that you’d be the sole provider of cable TV, wouldn’t you be a bit miffed if a completely unrelated utility started moving in on your turf? There are really two ways to respond: 1. Demand that the government respect its guarantee of your monopoly power and forbid the other utility from entering your market, or 2. Demand that the government deregulate your prices so you can compete against the new guy fairly. I prefer option two, and that’s been the trend in general over the past two decades. However, there are approximately nine zillion local cable and phone companies, all with different contracts and operating under different legislation, so the issue is extremely complex. But to answer your question, no, this particular sector is hardly ever a free fucking market. It’s getting closer, though. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/4 "2006-02-22T07:25:10Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Demand that the government deregulate your prices so you can compete against the new guy fairly. Thanks for the info **friedo**. But are you saying Uncle Scam makes the cable companies charge _more_ than they need to? I was always of the understanding it ws the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/5 "2006-02-22T07:29:54Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Thanks for the info **friedo**. > > But are you saying Uncle Scam makes the cable companies charge _more_ than they need to? I was always of the understanding it ws the other way around. No, generally they make them charge enough to cover costs and earn a little profit. The reason utilities often lobby for deregulation is usually not because they want to charge higher prices, but because they want to offer a wider range of services instead of being locked into a rigid rate structure. For example, your cable company, in order to compete with Verizon, may want to start offering its own VoIP telephone service. The existing monopoly charter may not allow it. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/6 "2006-02-22T13:15:30Z")
Perhaps in exchange for Verizon not providing television services, the cable companies can give up their ISP services (cable modems) as well. Like _that’s_ gonna happen… ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/7 "2006-02-22T13:48:43Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > Nah, it’ll only take one year, max. That long? As I tell my co-workers when they complain about Bell South, “at least you’re not dealing with Verizon.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/8 "2006-02-22T16:25:58Z")
Where is this free fucking market of which you speak? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/9 "2006-02-22T16:56:01Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > Where is this free fucking market of which you speak? Times Square had several until Rudy chased 'em out. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/10 "2006-02-22T17:20:29Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Times Square had several until Rudy chased 'em out. You are mistaken. They were never _free._ ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/11 "2006-02-22T18:04:55Z")
You actually thought we have free markets? Hey everybody, check out the new guy! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/12 "2006-02-22T18:17:13Z")
> [@DirkGntly](#): > > You are mistaken. They were never _free._ I wasn’t referring to the hookers. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-thought-this-was-a-free-fucking-market/345595/13 "2006-02-22T19:24:54Z")
It’s called a [natural monopoly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_monopoly). Verizon is laying cable in my area, too. By coincidence ( :dubious: ) Adelphia, the cable company, has become a _lot_ more response and helpful recently.