Danny Burste>> "We saw a problem, and we acted swiftly to ensure that Internet voice
>> service remains a viable option for consumers", said FCC Chairman >> Michael K. Powell.
> I don't understand.
> Why couldn't the consumers simply switch to another ISP? Why did the
> FCC have to intervene?
It's not always that simple. Here in my high-tech haven in the Pacific Northwest Verizon has managed to price DSL service at a level which prevents other ISP's from competing for DSL broadband customers (the bare DSL circuit is 50% more than Verizon Online's monthly charge, without including any ISP charges). The ONLY other broadband choice is Comcast (cable), and there is NO choice of ISP with them.
And you're not going to run VOIP over a dial-up connection.
John Meissen snipped-for-privacy@aracnet.com
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And some telcos -- such as SBC -- flatly refuse to sell DSL to anyone (other then their own customers with SBC phone service) at all. They know the handwriting is on the wall, and they are going to fight to the bitter end to hang on to their increasingly shrinking market. In Bell's arrogance they never used to have to put up with any competition to speak of; it had to be their way or no way at all, and they still like to act that way. PAT]