How would you report a business having a monoply?

Question

Charter is a communications business in my area and I want to go about reporting them for having a monoply on high-speed internet. How would I go about doing that?

The only other internet offered in my area is low speed dial-up and that will not work for me and the applications I like to run online.

Answer 1

Charter Communications is a legal monopoly, regulated by the Public Utilities Commission in your state and by the Federal Trade Commission.

Their prices are also regulated. They have to get state approval to even set or raise their prices

Telecom History

In 1974, the U.S. Gov sought to break up American Telephone & Telegraph ("Ma Bell"), now AT&T, and divided it into 7 regional bell companies, completed  by 1982. They became legal (smaller) monopolies in specific regions in the country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_break_u...

By 1996 Congress deregulated the telecommunications industries (which includes phone, cell, cable, satellite).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommuni...

Since then, AT&T has managed to legally regain control over 5 of the 7 "baby bell" companies, and dominates in long distance, local telephone, and cellular.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:RBOC_...

Charter is the 3rd largest cable communications company in the USA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_Com...

They have had a ton of complaints from customers. Complain  here: http://welcome.bbb.org/

I am surprised they are still in business after operating at huge losses for many years.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bs?s=CHTR&ann...

Stock is a buck and change.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=CHTR