A big player with deep pockets can also make it a losing game for new player even if they can find alternate channels to reach consumer.

To deliver their content to some of their customers. AT&T only controls ~30% of mobile and a lot less than 30% of the landline ISP market.

Google and Apple control much more of the market via handset OS's. And we let them control media on their devices.

And after Net Neutrality, it's not even legal to discriminate against competitors traffic.