Comment by Delphiza

A slight adjustment to this is that the single-cable-operator can become a monopoly because of government regulations. Permits, planning permission, running roughshod over objections (see HS2, Heathrow third runway). So the ideal market can never materialise. We (citizens/subjects) are somewhat okay with this. Most people do not want the free market criss-crossing the countryside with operators laying cables across whichever farmers accept money from them.