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40 Years After Carterphone Ended AT&T Equipment Monopoly
fm6 writes "Wednesday was the 40th anniversary of the Carterfone Decision which brought to an end AT&T's monopoly on telephone terminal equipment. Ars Technica has an opinionated but informative backgrounder on this landmark, which pretty much created the telecommunications world as we currently know it."
which pretty much created the telecommunications world as we currently know it
Don't you mean 'pretty much destroyed the industry and its benign monopolistic benefactor and made it the consumer oppressed shambles we have today' instead?
---- Booth was a patriot ----
This may have been a small evidence. However, the divesture was initiated by a disgruntled ATT employee who started MCI. So, with the diversture, we have come for 15 dollar phone bills to hundreds of dollars. Technology advanced but so did the ablility to charge more. Regulation kept the telecommunication industry within affordable limits. Grandma and Grandpa on a limited income could afford a telephone. Now, the base rate is more than some social security checks. So, as we look at the advances, one must ask, how did we take care of our population for communication? Did we really better ourselves or enslave ourselves in the manner of George Orwell's 1984.
"As for the rest, what are you smoking? I can get a phone line for under $20/month, and that's 2008 money. Try doing that before the breakup. I can get plans for under $50/month that give me unlimited calling anywhere in the country. Try that before the breakup."
My phone bills before the breakup were almost always $15-$20 per month. Now they run at least three times that. I don't now and have never needed unlimited calling anywhere.
Yeah lets get rid of the farmers and rely on importing all our food. Who needs corn? Who needs milk and meat? Wait to see the price increases after this flooding -- and then tell me you don't want farmers in the USA.
As i look at the Bell Systems metal phone booth sign hanging over my desk ( its mounted on the wall ), ill never be convinced that it was a good idea.
Oh, and my lucite block with a piece of the local bell office's sign embedded in it from when the sign was removed after the breakup and subsequent name change, that sits on my desk next to my cup holder.
Sorry, *no one* can convince me otherwise, ever.
Oh, and i still have my original bluebox so don't call me jaded..
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Bla bla bla bla.
---- Booth was a patriot ----