In the EU (At least in the UK), you have vast competition amongst ISPs with everyone undercutting everyone else. There's probably around 100 ISPs I could choose from to get my ADSL line from.
I think the toll booth would fit in more with some US areas where there's only 1 ISP available (AFAIK).
But they all buy the ADSL access from BT and are basically just billing operations - if BT chooses to implement a pay per content they will have to pass that on.
If you have a cable connection then it's probably owned by Sky (murdoch) already.
That's not quite true - all they buy from BT is the "last mile" between the telephone exchange and the customer end point. Everything else is on the ISP's own (or rented) infrastructure.
Actually they're completely free to create their own last-mile connections, most simply choose not to and try to irk out their living being the middle man.
Incorrect. Many of them, do buy the ADSL access from BT. But many of the only use BT for them exchange->house portion, and install their own equipment in exchanges. (Local loop unbundling).
I think the toll booth would fit in more with some US areas where there's only 1 ISP available (AFAIK).