system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why are cable and internet company options in the US so limited?
gpt
In short: monopolies.

Major telecom companies took advantage of the fact that internet/cable access had not had specific legislation made concerning them (or that they had not been classified in a manner that existing legislation applied to them).

This allowed said companies to section off service areas into controlled monopolies, and to lobby politically to protect their monopolies. They do not compete, so they are able to maintain high rates and not invest in improving/expanding services.