Unfortunately, free markets don't really apply to ISP's in the US. In most areas, there is 1 DSL provider and 1 Cable provider. Possibly 1 FiOS provider (Verizon) if you're lucky. Telecoms are essentially monopolies.
Where I live, my only hardline choices are Frontier DSL and Time Warner Cable. Time Warner's service is significantly faster than Frontier's (20+Mbit down vs. 10Mbit down). If Time Warner began to prioritize packets from 'partners', and I chose to vote with my dollars, I'd have to settle for a competitor that's half as fast.
When megacorporations are involved, free markets are merely an undergrad Econ student's fantasy :)
Where I live, my only hardline choices are Frontier DSL and Time Warner Cable. Time Warner's service is significantly faster than Frontier's (20+Mbit down vs. 10Mbit down). If Time Warner began to prioritize packets from 'partners', and I chose to vote with my dollars, I'd have to settle for a competitor that's half as fast.
When megacorporations are involved, free markets are merely an undergrad Econ student's fantasy :)