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...