@Gargron @Sir_Osis_of_Liver Id say Telecom is a great example. In north UK, a city called Hull has had an independent telecom since forever - Kcom. Hull has NEVER had British Telecom networks or even public phone boxes (theyre white, not red). Even now, it is still independent. Yet, it is seamlessly connected to BT and beyond into global telecom. Other cities/areas could have done this in the past in UK but they chose not to.