LD-style pricing on Broadband access?

An interesting article is running, with comments from a MCI Vice President that pricing for Broadband access may have to come with long-distance style price tags. The VP points to the usage rates, the massive costs off laying bandwidth, coupled with the ever-increasing demands. However, another analyst points to the flat-rate US-style of pricing as a reason for the substantial growth of the Internet within the US. H: I personally hope they don't implement this-the consequences would be huge. What do you folks think?