Original Research · FCC Data Analysis · April 2026

The Internet Monopoly Report

42.2 Million Americans have zero or one internet provider option.

We cross-referenced FCC Broadband Data Collection 2025 with Census ACS population figures for all 50 states and DC. Here's where competition doesn't exist — and what it costs the families who live there.

Sources: FCC Broadband Data Collection 2025 · US Census Bureau ACS 2024 · BroadbandNow State Reports · National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) · April 2026

42.2M

Americans with 0–1 broadband providers

4,047

Estimated ZIPs with no meaningful competition

23.6%

Worst state: Mississippi

6.2%

Best state: District of Columbia

Key Findings

42.2 million Americans live in census blocks with zero or one fixed broadband provider offering at least 25/3 Mbps, per FCC 2025 data.

4,047 ZIP codes are estimated to have no meaningful provider competition based on state-level FCC underserved percentages applied to ZIP code counts.

Up to 47% higher prices in monopoly markets vs. competitive markets, per BroadbandNow pricing analysis. When there's no competition, there's no pricing pressure.

41% slower average speeds in single-provider markets. Without competitive pressure, ISPs have less incentive to upgrade infrastructure.

$42.5 billion in BEAD funding is being deployed to address this — but most rural construction won't complete until 2027–2028.

All 50 States + DC — Ranked by Internet Competition

Sorted by % of state population in areas with zero or one broadband provider at 25/3 Mbps or better. "Underserved Pop." = estimated residents in no-choice / single-provider areas.

Rank	State	% Underserved	Est. Pop. Affected	Est. ZIPs Affected	Avg Providers/Block
#1	Mississippi	23.6%	698,862	93	1.8
#2	Alaska	22.4%	164,283	33	1.6
#3	Arkansas	21.6%	662,630	106	1.9
#4	West Virginia	21.4%	383,855	80	1.7
#5	New Mexico	19.4%	410,799	71	1.9
#6	Louisiana	19.2%	894,289	78	2.1
#7	Alabama	18.8%	960,392	109	2
#8	Kentucky	18.6%	838,085	132	2
#9	Montana	17.6%	194,352	52	1.8
#10	Oklahoma	17.4%	699,445	99	2.1
#11	South Carolina	16.6%	876,917	66	2.2
#12	Wyoming	16.2%	93,450	23	1.7
#13	Idaho	15.8%	306,367	42	2
#14	Missouri	15.8%	972,476	128	2.1
#15	South Dakota	15.6%	141,933	50	1.9
#16	Indiana	15.4%	1,052,288	88	2.2
#17	Tennessee	15.2%	1,071,804	90	2.2
#18	Iowa	15.2%	486,428	142	2.1
#19	Maine	14.8%	206,567	62	2
#20	Kansas	14.8%	435,248	101	2.1
#21	Michigan	14.6%	1,465,440	130	2.3
#22	Georgia	14.4%	1,571,454	75	2.4
#23	North Dakota	14.4%	112,190	51	1.9
#24	Nebraska	14.2%	278,844	80	2
#25	Ohio	14.2%	1,675,522	149	2.4
#26	North Carolina	13.8%	1,476,458	87	2.4
#27	Nevada	13.6%	422,228	20	2.3
#28	Vermont	13.6%	88,055	36	2.1
#29	Arizona	13.2%	980,937	44	2.5
#30	Texas	13.2%	3,963,904	239	2.6
#31	Pennsylvania	13.2%	1,716,356	233	2.5
#32	Florida	12.6%	2,802,848	117	2.7
#33	Illinois	12.2%	1,563,126	158	2.6
#34	Oregon	11.8%	499,996	46	2.5
#35	Minnesota	11.6%	661,953	102	2.4
#36	Delaware	11.5%	115,389	9	2.8
#37	New Hampshire	10.8%	150,011	25	2.5
#38	Hawaii	10.6%	154,259	9	2.4
#39	Virginia	10.6%	914,928	84	2.8
#40	Colorado	10.3%	605,394	48	2.8
#41	Rhode Island	10.2%	111,933	6	2.9
#42	New York	10.2%	2,060,527	168	2.9
#43	California	9.8%	3,874,746	260	3.1
#44	Utah	9.6%	324,557	16	2.8
#45	Maryland	9.4%	580,659	40	3.1
#46	Connecticut	9.2%	331,747	21	3
#47	Washington	9.2%	708,886	54	3
#48	New Jersey	8.8%	817,431	52	3.3
#49	Massachusetts	8.6%	604,573	41	3.2
#50	District of Columbia	6.2%	42,752	2	4.1

Sources: FCC Broadband Data Collection 2025 (underserved %); US Census Bureau ACS 2024 (population); Internal ZIP code database (ZIP totals). "Est. ZIPs Affected" = state ZIP count × underserved %. Methodology: internet-4-all.com/methodology

10 Places Where Internet Monopoly Is Most Severe

These communities represent the most acute broadband monopoly situations in America — places where geographic, economic, and regulatory barriers combine to leave residents with little or no choice.

McDowell County

WV · Pop. ~19,300

Appalachian mountain

Consistently ranks as one of the most economically distressed counties in America. Mountainous terrain limits cable infrastructure. Primary option: DSL or fixed wireless at <25 Mbps.

Owsley County

KY · Pop. ~4,600

Appalachian mountain

Among the lowest household incomes in the US. Rural Appalachian topography makes fiber deployment prohibitively expensive. Most residents have 1–2 options, often below 25 Mbps.

Holmes County

MS · Pop. ~16,200

Rural Delta

Mississippi Delta corridor. Flat geography but extreme poverty and low population density deter investment. FCC maps show majority of census blocks with ≤1 provider.

Aleutians East Borough

AK · Pop. ~3,100

Remote island chain

Chain of islands stretching 700+ miles into the Pacific. Satellite internet (Starlink/ViaSat) is often the only option. Speeds historically below 25 Mbps; prices among highest per-Mbps in the US.

Wheeler County

OR · Pop. ~1,400

High desert rural

Smallest county by population in Oregon (~1,400 residents). No wired broadband; fixed wireless from 1–2 small regional ISPs only. Average download speed: ~18 Mbps.

Petroleum County

MT · Pop. ~440

Great Plains rural

Among the least populated counties in the contiguous US (~440 residents). One telephone company serves as the only ISP. No cable, no fiber — DSL only, typically <10 Mbps.

Loving County

TX · Pop. ~~100

Oil country rural

Smallest county in Texas by population (~100 residents). Oil field geography. Limited wireless coverage; no wired broadband infrastructure. Satellite internet primary option.

Oglala Lakota County

SD · Pop. ~14,200

Tribal / Reservation

Pine Ridge Reservation. One of the largest Native American reservations and among the most underserved. Less than 10% broadband penetration historically. Multiple federal programs targeting connectivity here.

Breathitt County

KY · Pop. ~12,000

Appalachian coal country

Eastern Kentucky coal country. Poor roads, hilly terrain. Few providers offer speeds above DSL-tier. Rural BEAD deployments scheduled for 2026–2027.

Quitman County

MS · Pop. ~6,700

Rural Delta

Mississippi Delta. FCC classification: majority census blocks "unserved" (<25/3 Mbps). One DSL provider. Satellite internet is often the only viable alternative.

Small Towns in Our Database: High-Risk Single-Provider Areas

From our database of 19,184 US cities, these small communities are in states with >17% underserved rate. Communities this size are statistically most likely to have only one provider option based on FCC state-level data.

Note: Provider availability for individual addresses should be verified using your ZIP code above.

What Internet Monopoly Actually Costs You

Higher Prices, No Recourse

When there's only one provider, promotional pricing doesn't exist — there's no need to compete for your business. BroadbandNow research consistently shows that single-provider markets have 30–47% higher monthly costs than markets with 3+ providers. A household in a monopoly market paying $89/month would likely pay $60–65/month if one competitor entered the market. At that differential, the monopoly premium costs a single household $288–$348 per year.

Slower Speeds, Less Pressure to Upgrade

Monopoly markets average 41% slower download speeds than competitive markets (Ookla Speedtest Intelligence, 2025). Without the threat of customer defection, ISPs in monopoly territories invest less in infrastructure upgrades. Many still offer DSL service where the underlying copper telephone network is 40+ years old — not because fiber isn't technically feasible, but because the ROI calculation doesn't pencil out without competitive pressure.

The Economic Ripple Effect

Broadband access is now a documented economic driver. A 2023 Federal Reserve study found that counties gaining a second broadband provider saw GDP growth 0.8–1.4 percentage points higher than monopoly counties over 5 years. Remote work options expand dramatically when reliable, fast internet is available — but a household with DSL at 12 Mbps cannot participate in the remote work economy at scale. The connectivity gap compounds into an economic opportunity gap.

Bottom line: Americans in monopoly broadband markets pay more, receive slower service, and have less ability to switch or negotiate — by an estimated $1,200–$1,800 in extra lifetime annual costs compared to residents in competitive markets with 3+ providers.

What's Being Done — and What's Not

What's Working

$42.5B BEAD program (2025–2028)
FCC Lifeline program ($9.25/mo off)
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)
Improved FCC broadband mapping
State broadband offices in all 50 states
Electric co-op fiber buildouts in rural areas
Starlink providing option in truly remote areas

What's Not Working

ACP ended without replacement
BEAD deployment years away for many areas
FCC maps still overstate coverage
No federal last-resort broadband mandate
ISP self-reporting gaming coverage maps
Satellite latency limits some WFH uses
Construction costs making some areas unviable

Methodology & Data Sources

State underserved percentages: Derived from FCC Broadband Data Collection 2025 (broadbandmap.fcc.gov), cross-referenced with BroadbandNow 2025 State of the Internet reports and NTIA coverage analysis. "Underserved %" represents the share of a state's census blocks with fewer than 2 providers able to offer service at 25 Mbps / 3 Mbps or better.

Population estimates: US Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year estimates. We multiply state population × underserved% to get the estimated number of state residents in low-competition areas. This is an approximation — actual numbers vary at the census block level.

ZIP code estimates: Based on our internal database of 31,043 ZIP codes. State ZIP totals are from our database; we apply the state underservedPct to estimate how many ZIPs are likely in single-provider territory.

Full methodology: internet-4-all.com/methodology · Last updated: April 2026 · Data refreshed quarterly.

Journalists & Researchers

Need state-level data cuts, county-level breakdowns, or expert comment on broadband monopoly and affordability? We're available for media inquiries and data licensing.

Request Data Full Methodology

Check What's Actually Available at Your Address

FCC maps often show providers that can't actually reach your home. We verify real availability — including options you may not know about.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Based on FCC Broadband Data Collection 2025 and Census ACS 2024 population data, our analysis estimates approximately 42.2 million Americans live in areas with zero or one fixed broadband provider offering at least 25/3 Mbps service. This represents roughly 13% of the US population — most concentrated in rural Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, rural Great Plains, and Alaska.

Mississippi (23.6% of residents underserved), Alaska (22.4%), Arkansas (21.6%), and West Virginia (21.4%) have the highest rates of census blocks with zero or one broadband provider per FCC data. These states share common challenges: low population density, difficult terrain (mountains, water, tundra), and lower household incomes that reduce market incentives for private ISP investment.

The FCC defines "unserved" locations as those lacking access to fixed broadband at speeds of at least 25 Mbps download / 3 Mbps upload from any provider. "Underserved" means access to fixed broadband below 100 Mbps download / 20 Mbps upload. In our analysis, we use "underserved" broadly to include locations with zero or one provider at any speed threshold — meaning residents have no competitive choice.

The $42.5 billion BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) program is the primary federal response. Every state received an allocation in 2024-2025 to fund new broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved locations. States are currently completing Challenge processes, ISP selection, and beginning construction. Most BEAD-funded deployments are expected 2026–2028. The FCC also expanded Lifeline to help households pay for existing service.

Three structural factors drive single-provider situations: (1) High infrastructure cost — laying fiber or cable in rural areas with sparse population requires enormous capital with low ROI; ISPs won't invest unless returns are sufficient. (2) Historical monopoly — telephone companies got exclusive service territory rights decades ago; many rural areas were assigned a single "carrier of last resort." (3) Regulatory gaps — unlike electricity or water, broadband is not classified as a public utility in most jurisdictions, so there's no mandate for competition.

The FCC's Broadband Map at broadbandmap.fcc.gov shows provider availability at the address level. Enter your address to see which ISPs are mapped as available. Note: FCC maps are based on provider self-reporting, which has historically overstated coverage. If a provider shows as available but you can't actually get service, you can file a challenge at the same site. Our tool at internet-4-all.com also cross-references multiple sources and may show different results.

Internet 4 ALL — Find out if you're in a monopoly broadband market — and what your real options are.

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