AT&T is not a monopoly. There are several providers of internet service and if the gov't wants to continue to pester them they'll eventually be only one. And it won't be a telco.
AT&T is the country's largest Internet backbone provider, and coupled with Sprint, Verizon, Qwest and Comcast pretty much makes up a monopoly. You don't have much choice if these providers decide to charge extra for others running VOIP or streaming video and still keep the quality.
You will pay for your access, the content serving company will pay for its access, and they will have to pay even more if they want you to get their services at a decent quality (and they'll of course pass that bill onto you). This is the equivalent of highway robbery, or if it's legal a toll booth on a road that's already being paid for.