system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 - Why do ISPs have a monopoly in practically all areas of the united states? 

I mean, everything I know about free market would dictate that a company being terrible to their clients would cause an opportunity to start an ISP that doesn't suck in an area.  Did they somehow manage to finagle laws to be anit-competitive?
gpt
The infrastructure required and the work needed to lay down all the cables necessary to compete with an existing company is too great of a barrier to entry, so most markets remain relatively unchallenged.