Interesting, yet sort of blecchy news

I found out today that since a deal that was made with AT&T and SBC-Global and Pacific Bell about a half dozen years ago, there's a LOT of places where they don't overlap coverage any more.. i.e., TERRITORIES. Used to be for a while there was competition, with multiple providers in many areas (as was intended), but now apparently the watchdogs are on vacation, and little monopolies have arisen again.. :/
In other words, we have just ONE choice for local telephone service again... Verizon.

feh.