For the past decade there has been a trend of mergers of Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This has resulted in consumers in many areas of the United States having only one of two choices for ISPs. Large communication corporations argue that many areas exist in a state of natural monopoly, where capital outlays and number of consumers dictate the profitable number of ISPs is one or few, similar to a utility like gas or electricity. This has resulted in both rural areas and those with a high population density having a sole provider, a situation inimical to the free flow of information. The FCC , Bureau of Economic Analysis, or other suitable agency should conduct a study to determine where natural monopolies do in fact exist.
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