Molson Hart

Not just govt, telekom companies too.

Monopoly businesses basically. This problem is not limited to Hungary. ATT won't pay me money it agrees it owes me.

Yeah, it's about monopolies. Telcos are interesting in that sense btw bc of the the "last mile" problem (maybe youve heard abt this). There are competing companies but they have a monopoly on the house level.

I have a weak familiarity with it. Here's how I'd think about it: 1. Cable telcos suck (mobile telcos not as bad, notably) 2. Why? Insufficient competition. Many houses only have 1 option. Few have more than 3 options. 3. Why is there insufficient competition?

I don't actually think it's the last-mile problem. It's that cities sell a charter to telecom companies, who then cite the last-mile problem as a reasoning for a limited number of charters being granted. Telcos basically say "hey, you can't expect me to lay all this wire...

unless you'll give me oligopoly/duopoly/monopoly profits." And then the cities are like "okay" or "bribe me" and then the telcos have limited incentive to do a good job at anything because of limited charters granted.

Interesting so its more like an interplay between corps and govt.

In my humble opinion based on reading Cable Cowboy.