Interesting, yet sort of blecchy news
Jun. 21st, 2012 06:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceagleI 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.
In other words, we have just ONE choice for local telephone service again... Verizon.
feh.
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no subject
Date: 2012-06-22 06:16 am (UTC)But along those lines, when Adelphia cable went under, they were bought up by both Time-Warner and Comcast, and then the two did actually agree to divide all of their fragmented territories up into 'markets' that only one would be in. So, here in the LA area, we now only have TW, but in other large markets, they may now only have Comcast.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-23 07:15 am (UTC)Tru nuff... ^v^ ... for many years we only had GTE... and other areas I recall having PacBell, both for local. And AT&T for long distance.
Then they made the 7 long distance providers. Then they started offering more choices in local providers and we could use VerizonGTE or ATT or Sprint or some other one I tried for a while.
We eventually came back to Verizon because Sprint and the 4th company, and eventually ATT also had billing problems... always getting it messed up, and to get someone on the phone to fix it was a CHORE. Verizon doesn't have all that great of service, and costs a bit more, but getting someone on the phone usually isn't a problem.
re: cable... yeah, I know some areas also have a sucky one-choice-only thing :/ ...At least we still have 2 choices.. TimeWarner and ChampionBroadband.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-22 11:35 am (UTC)Wireless is trickier because you're not actually locked into a location due to monopolistic intentions or intent, although here because we have such awful terrain, Verizon is the only carrier to cover many rural areas of the state, so they know they have you over a barrel. Competition here is stifled due to lack of infrastructure. Again though, you would think there'd be some provision for universal roaming, with enough being paid to the infrastructure owners to cover the cost of the use of their equipment.
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Date: 2012-06-23 07:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-23 07:27 am (UTC)I do have to pay about $3.75 a month in taxes and fees, but it works fairly well and has that nice voicemail feature built in :>
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Date: 2012-06-23 04:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-23 07:24 am (UTC)I know many, many people who no longer have landlines, but
1) we've had the same number(s) for so many years, I'm slightly partial to them.
2) beyond the sentimental... some practical reasons are that I wanted to add DSL (fast service and low price). ATT was offering phone and DSL for $31 at 3mbps, whereas Verizon (the monopoly) has that bundle for about $36 at 1mbps ... so I am paying $5 more for way less allowed throughput. ;p
3) additionally, I do like the landline legacy ability to talk in full duplex, which is often not possible with cel phone service.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-23 03:58 pm (UTC)