Being a Canucky, I may not have all the facts at hand, however, I'm sure in a broad sense, I'm on track:
They paid for the lines, the installation, the maintenance, etc... Usually with the assistance of tax payers money (tax breaks, etc.)
Then you have the government come in and say, "Well that's nice, but in the interest of "fairness" you need to let other companies who didn't drop a dime for the hardware use it...and take business away from you." Well, no, not really....I have yet to see where a competitor is using these last mile connections for free. They are paying "rent" to get their services to the [potential] customer.
That's like building a family business, then having the government tell you that you have to let a competing business use your facilities to compete against you. I think a better analogy would be building a apartment/condo complex and having the government come along and say "you must let people rent the units"
But since we're talking about "big evil telecom" companies, no one gives a crap. You give them shit because they control the market, well yes they do...because they helped CREATE the market. This is business...there is no fair or unfair. If you don't like their service and can't get another one...you either do without or suck it up. You have no "right" to anything they produce. Exactly the problem (which extends to other markets/goods/services as well). To be forced to like it or lump it is the pivotal monopolistic flaw. It would be interesting to see how this scenario would turn out: A community has only one car dealer and citizens are only allowed to use cars in the community from that dealer. The dealer only has one car, it's a pile of crap, unsafe and pink with purple dots, but you either "do without or suck it up". Human nature being what it is, I'd let to see the result of fast forwarding a few years in this analogy.
Our telcos here an the GWN are trying, currently unsuccessfully, to pull the same stunts. So far, things are good...there is some choice in the marketplace and seemingly, all parties are making some $$$$....seems like a good plan to me.....
Slashdot Mirror
Even more nefarious: the shadow army unleashed on the power grid: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004113550_webcat08m.html http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071107/NEWS/711070017 Try getting those terrorists/profiteers to confess at Guantanamo! ;-)
SD
But since we're talking about "big evil telecom" companies, no one gives a crap. You give them shit because they control the market, well yes they do...because they helped CREATE the market. This is business...there is no fair or unfair. If you don't like their service and can't get another one...you either do without or suck it up. You have no "right" to anything they produce. Exactly the problem (which extends to other markets/goods/services as well). To be forced to like it or lump it is the pivotal monopolistic flaw. It would be interesting to see how this scenario would turn out: A community has only one car dealer and citizens are only allowed to use cars in the community from that dealer. The dealer only has one car, it's a pile of crap, unsafe and pink with purple dots, but you either "do without or suck it up". Human nature being what it is, I'd let to see the result of fast forwarding a few years in this analogy.
Our telcos here an the GWN are trying, currently unsuccessfully, to pull the same stunts. So far, things are good...there is some choice in the marketplace and seemingly, all parties are making some $$$$....seems like a good plan to me.....
Steve Ballmer = Troll ;-)