Exactly. One example of this is Netflix. Most ISPs sell cable services as well and that is where they make most of their money (citation needed). They have every reason to not want to stream Netflix to their customers. First, it keeps them from wanting to pay for cable, extra packages, etc. It also uses a lot of bandwidth. Because of net neutrality, they have to keep Netflix streaming. Without it, Netflix most likely wouldn't be around. Netflix actually offers a deal to ISPs which would help all parties called Open Connect. But the big ISPs are big and bratty and won't take them up on their offer. This is also a really good read about big ISPs and their "competitors" with links to all sorts of related content. I had RCN in NYC and absolutely loved it. Consistently getting 1-2mb down when Time Warner never got above 400kb - even at 4am. If anyone is ever in an area with RCN I would strongly recommend them.
So, where do we go from here? If they're going to make this service unusable for us, or make us pay too much, or otherwise render it a commodity we no longer want to use, what are our options? what's next? private internets (such as "darkNets")?
private internet, i think. (not private internets, that is -- darkNets invite the worst of humanity to bubble to the surface). i'm talking about net 2.0. return to the basic freedom initially present in the loose networking. lots of people will try this, i'm certain. but a community of insight and intelligence might actually succeed in building something central and meaningful there. can anybody think of such a community? some kind of "hub" around which sensible people could rally? anyone? 'scuse me. i feel the sudden inexplicable need to go skiing.
you'll just have to submit. you can't get to anything unless you buy a line in the first place, and they're selling all the lines. encryption/vpn won't help because it won't be on the whitelist. perhaps a market entrant with a lot of cash to throw around could disrupt things a la google fiber, but you can't count on charity. the best alternatives are either going to be municipal networks or perhaps neighborhood co-ops, but resellers will run into the obvious problems...