Oligopolies: The best way to suppress real competition

I've noticed that, throughout the world, binary competitions effectively block all other competitors from public awareness. A perfect example of this is Microsoft versus Apple, Coke versus Pepsi, Democrats versus Republicans, Rogers versus Bell (in Canada), and so on. These entities focus all of their vitriol on their immediate adversary, and as such people forget there are other people willing to offer the same, or better, or cheaper service.

Ghostface Killah actually wrote a song semi-related to this subject. In the song Shakey Dog, (apologies for that stupid ten second intro, but it doesn't change the fact that the song is great) he describes the plan for a cocaine heist, and his method for accessing the place where the cocaine is being held involves staging a stickup in the immediate vicinity. In the song, it allows them access to the hotel room, and before the victims can fully grasp what is happening, Ghost turns the gun on the holder of the cocaine, enabling him to steal it.

Of course, at this point you're probably wondering what this is all about, but the focus of this thread's discussion is to cite and meditate on binary (or even three-way) oligopolies, and to help fellow GiantBomb users find third and fourth party competitors offering the same or better service than the companies or institutions who are part of the oligopoly in question. This is what public forums are for! Spreading awareness of alternatives to the status quo!

Right?