I&#x27;ll bet a lot of folks would keep paying those prices even if all they did was use email.  I&#x27;ll bet further that is still the <i>main</i> reason many people have a home internet connection.  That and internet banking, etc.<p>Things subsidized by ads like YouTube and myriad other distractions are a bonus.  If they were to disappear no one would be dropping their internet connection.  Trust me, with bandwdth as it is, free video is not going to disappear.<p>All things considered I think <i>non-commercial</i> websites like Wikipedia or Internet Archive are actually the most valuable ones.  And even without ads they will not disappear because passionate dedicated people create them for non-commercial reasons.  And the cost for the individual to store data and publish online keeps decreasing.<p>The internet has heaps of inherent value that has nothing to do with advertising.  Especially with today&#x27;s computing power and bandwidth.  It&#x27;s like long distance calling anywhere in the world for a set monthly fee.  And anyone can write software to send and receive over the network.  Sign me up.  For life.<p>Anyone who used the internet in the late 80&#x27;s early 90&#x27;s before commercial activity was permitted, when bandwidth was limited and expensive, knows this.<p>By all means argue for ads if it&#x27;s your cash cow - try you best to save your golden goose, but spare us the absurd arguments that ads are what give the internet value.