Everyone forgets several things about the bells in the struggle for survival. First, they were barred from providing a tremendous number of services. They couldn't do cross-lata long distance. They couldn't provide cable TV or other information services. After millions in legal fees they have slowly appealed (state-by-state and at the federal level) to allow them to compete in other markets and types of services. But while they fought those battles, their competitors were given rights to provide phone service at will and essentially invade their turf. Yet if Joe Redneck decides to stick his trailer 50 miles from nowhere who HAS to provide phone service for him? The baby bell does! When the government demands that a payphone be placed at some odd location who has to provide it? The baby bell does! So while their ad-hoc competitors only provided service in the most desirable locations, they were forced to provide service in locations that only lost them tons of money.
I'm all for competition but the playing field was so slanted the other way, the mergers and changes have been a matter of survival in the changing landscape. Let's face it, it's a different world. A world of wireless and cablemodems and things. I say let everyone in everywhere but just make it a fair playing field. If the bells want to merge, fine... but it's a different world. If it means competition for the cable companies... good! Bigger doesn't always mean worse.
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Everyone forgets several things about the bells in the struggle for survival. First, they were barred from providing a tremendous number of services. They couldn't do cross-lata long distance. They couldn't provide cable TV or other information services. After millions in legal fees they have slowly appealed (state-by-state and at the federal level) to allow them to compete in other markets and types of services. But while they fought those battles, their competitors were given rights to provide phone service at will and essentially invade their turf. Yet if Joe Redneck decides to stick his trailer 50 miles from nowhere who HAS to provide phone service for him? The baby bell does! When the government demands that a payphone be placed at some odd location who has to provide it? The baby bell does! So while their ad-hoc competitors only provided service in the most desirable locations, they were forced to provide service in locations that only lost them tons of money.
I'm all for competition but the playing field was so slanted the other way, the mergers and changes have been a matter of survival in the changing landscape. Let's face it, it's a different world. A world of wireless and cablemodems and things. I say let everyone in everywhere but just make it a fair playing field. If the bells want to merge, fine... but it's a different world. If it means competition for the cable companies... good! Bigger doesn't always mean worse.