The federal government grants enormous subsidies to offset the cost of it costing a shit ton of money. Recently Verizon actually told them giving them more money wouldn't help speed up roll-out. They still got the money.

So it's pretty clear that we're paying for it through our taxes, and being billed for it at exorbitant prices.

Municipal-level ISPs make so much sense but, of course, face huge challenges by both established corporate interests and the kind of people who don't believe the government is capable of doing anything.