It's a valid critism. They decided to use Google Captcha and it often blocks 'advanced' users. ReCAPTCHA often has problems with Linux, non-chrome, VPN users, and users that use ad or javascript blockers.
That's the kind of advanced user that appreciates and uses an internet provider like Sonic.net.
It would be like a mobile phone service provider requiring people to pass a turing test if they call into the sales line from a mobile phone.
Why isn't email verification enough for these services? I don't think they really need to worry about automated services signing up for accounts, so I wonder why they put anything there at all...
Availability tends to be a closely-guarded secret; they don't want a competitor typing in every address in the city and then getting an easy list of customers.
ISPs are way too paranoid about this, though. Simple rate limiting is more than enough. If someone builds a botnet to check what buildings you're available in, maps the addresses to the person in charge of IT at every company in the building, signs the necessary access agreements, digs up the streets to install fiber, then calls your happy customers and asks them to switch, ... good luck to them. Meanwhile, an easy-to-use map or availability checker for potential customers probably has a high probability of getting you a sale.
Back in the early 90's, Metricom used a feature of Xerox PARC's Map Viewer to overlay the locations of their pole top boxes on an interactive map, so you could see the coverage of their Ricochet spread spectrum radio network.
That's the kind of advanced user that appreciates and uses an internet provider like Sonic.net.
It would be like a mobile phone service provider requiring people to pass a turing test if they call into the sales line from a mobile phone.