I think if Bitcoin were the only cryptocurrency out there; it would be more of an issue. Cryptocurrency will affect; and be adopted first and foremost people in 3rd world countries, the bank-less; etc. Cryptocurrency, for the first time in history, will allow billions of people who don't have an ATM Card; or Online Bill Pay, or a Checkbook; or easy access to cash (places like this do exist - in fact much of the world population uses "old money"). If you've ever been to an isolated, 3rd world country, you'd know just how old, and dirty, and tattered, the actual bills are.
Now; all of these people-- billions of people, have the ability; or soon will have; the ability to send money instantly to anyone in the world from their smartphone app. Smartphones-- they do have, or have access to.
This I believe is how blockchain technology; namely Bitcoin, but also the many altcoins in circulation; will be a profound game changer in terms of how we, as people; use our "money". I think in truth the mass media; politicians; governments; and even big banking institutions; have yes- taken notice to the fact that Bitcoin is here and here to stay, but have and are grossly underestimating just how profound this technology will be in the decades moving forward. Think 10, 20, 30 years.
Simply put; it's as big a game changer as the internet. Or cel phones. Or sliced bread.
Paper money in 2047, 30 years from now, will be like a payphone... have you seen one recently?
That said; the TX fees for Bitcoin I really don't think will be a deal breaker in the long run. Yes; fees for small transactions have become prohibitive; considering what it cost just a year ago when BTC was trending at 1/5 the price and the number of transactions was far lower allowing for lower fees to be included in the next or next few blocks.
Forking the current Bitcoin protocol; is needless to say, complicated- technicalities aside... It's the politics involved within the Crypto community that are stiffling any major changes or new adoptions to the existing blockchain structure.
However; I think that the crypto community as a whole will, and, has already found ways or are developing workable solutions to sending digital currencies with little to no TX fee.
Treating BTC as your primary currency or bank, and relying on the larger trading exchanges to convert BTC to the countless alt-coins, some of which have fairly, if not very, stable trading price ranges. This specifically applies to the some of the long term established altcoins that trade in the double, triple, or quadruple satoshi range.
Having altcoins which trade with very narrow rivers (sometimes a single satoshi) allows users to convert their BTC to "alt" and then withdraw to their alt-wallet. Many of the alts have very low TX fees; some you can send large amounts of BTC value (in altcoin currency) for no TX fee at all.
While not a huge concern of mine; people also are using the altcoins for better anonymity for their transactions. This includes the Cryptonote coins, such as Monero.
I think BTC has certainly claimed it's stake as the elephant in the room; there is at this point far too much money invested in ASIC usage; as well as future development of faster ASIC wafers; the existing BTC mining infrastructure both on the hardware side and software side dominates like the USA Military Budget compared to the next 10 Countries Budget's combined; and last, people simply now know what it is.
However; the Altcoin economy is no doubt (as a whole) a huge part of the cryptocurrency market. And altcoins are where 99% of the innovations are taking place in terms of blockchain technology.
Yes most altcoins get released and die a quick death; but some tread water for some time; and some swim the long haul.
In closing; I think BTC will be more of your "primary transactions for funding spend accounts"... think "Paycheck"; and Altcoins will be what you use to spend; seeing them as vehicles to spend (check, debit card; cash; etc).