🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <787d45$80u8_002@tri.sbc.com>, fgoodwin@eden.com writes...
> In article <36A6FDDC.1F728B86@tsoft.com>, John Slade <jslade@tsoft.com> wrote:
> 
> >I think you have to look at it differently. Phones are now looked at as 
> >a utility and cable is looked at as a luxury. Phone companies have the 
> >potential to be a monopoly and cable companies have competition from DSS 
> >and other cable companies. Even some phone companies are offering TV 
> >programing.
> 
> If DSS is competition to cable, then why isn't wireless to telephones?
> 
> If voice service by a phone co. is a "utility", then why isn't voice service 
> by a cable co. also a "utility"?
> 
> If internet access by a cable co. is a "luxury", then why isn't internet 
> access by a telco also a "luxury"?
> 
> When two companies offer the same services, why should they be treated 
> differently?
> 


Because it is not an arguable point that the vast majority of consumers
get their phone services from ILEC's.. ie the baby bells.

Telephone service from cable TV providers is a tiny tiny fraction of 
the market at this point.

However it is growing, and I fully expect the regulatory environment
to reflect that reality when it becomes a significant player.  Right
now it's not.  See below.

Wireless isn't a competitor to telephones because, like cable-TV hosted
telephone service, it's deployment is microscopic by comparison with
traditional telephone service.  It's access is limited by the technology,
and many households cannot easily receive it.  Whereas any house can 
be wired for a telephone and the infrastructure to support it is in 
place in all but the most extremely remote places.

When the wireless companies gain more of a foothold (as they most 
certainly will in time, given the deregulation of telephone service
that is now happening) I fully expect the regulatory environment to
reflect that as well.  The whole point of the FCC's actions to keep
certain baby bell's out of the LD market is precisely because they
are trying to *encourage* just what you complain about: more local 
phone competition. (ie wireless, cable, or whatever else works)

(Well what they're really trying to do is enforce the 1996 telecom 
act, which stipulates such things.)



Phil


-- 
Philip J. Koenig         The Electric Kahuna Organization          [see below]
-----------------Computers & Communications for the New Millenium-------------
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