🚀 go-pugleaf

Curt Hagenlocher (chi@netcom.com) wrote:
: max_kislik.es_ae@xerox.com (Max Kislik) writes:

: >Maybe so, but my understanding is that in order to use another carrier
: >(not your local monopoly), you'll have to dial an extra 5 digits.  That's
: >something most people won't do, and that's why I think its a massive rip-off.

: I never claimed to be informed about the specifics of any of this.  I agree
: that having to dial an extra 5 digits to make a Zone 5-type call is
: ridiculous.

: >Also, if they really wanted extra competition, they should allow Pac Bell and
: >GTE to compete for basic hookup, rather than imposing a $17.50 flat rate on
: >GTE customers and an $11 rate on Pac Bell customers.  If GTE is that 
: >uncompetitive, local should be the first target for more competition.

: Unfortunately, it seems as though the local loop is the most difficult
: to free from the control of a single company.  The physical cable from your
: phone and from your neighbor's phone need to be maintained by somebody.
: Imagine the confusion if four separate companies were each somehow
: responsible for their own customers' copper.

: Besides, it could be worse.  The phone companies could require you to rent
: special descrambling units to make sure you don't steal phone service.
: They could set these units up in such a way that the features of your phone
: are rendered useless, perhaps by not allowing you to attach both a phone
: and a fax machine to the same  line.

: Oh wait, that's the cable company.

: --
: Curt Hagenlocher
: chi@netcom.com

I was going to bring up the cable company thing too, but from a different 
perspective.  When I lived in Phoenix, AZ several years back, the cable 
companies had service in Phoenix split up.  Well, when the politicians 
that did the split-up got voted out of the office, the areas were allowed 
to overlap, creating some intense competition.  The result - better 
programming and lower rates. No reason to think that this wouldn't be 
true for phone companies, it worked nationally for LD rates...

Maybe we need to make ourselves heard where it counts, the voting booth. I 
sincerely wish that they would give us something good to vote for! ;-)

--

    James Lummel - jlummel@caprica.com

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