> "Sure, "some kind of public network", but then it can't be advertised as "Internet access""
> No, I should have been more clear - I mean an Internet connected network that is open to the (paying, presumably) public.
Again, you couldn't advertise it as "internet access" because you're not giving people equal access to the internet.
> but if I conjure the thing up out of thin air and there's nobody twisting your arm, I should be able to run that thing.
The problem is if you're the only carrier in an area, or if the majority of carriers make this sort of decision. "You can just pick someone else" doesn't work if someone doesn't have another option.
> No, I should have been more clear - I mean an Internet connected network that is open to the (paying, presumably) public.
Again, you couldn't advertise it as "internet access" because you're not giving people equal access to the internet.
> but if I conjure the thing up out of thin air and there's nobody twisting your arm, I should be able to run that thing.
The problem is if you're the only carrier in an area, or if the majority of carriers make this sort of decision. "You can just pick someone else" doesn't work if someone doesn't have another option.