TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to a writer:
>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Can't you just see SBC chomping at the
>> bit to get the old 'Bell System' out of cold storage and back into
>> service with all its old ways, albiet modernized somewhat? Put this
>> thing down -- refusal to work on 911 with VOIP carriers as one more
>> thing to negotiate when the FCC is asked to approve the AT&T/SBC >> merger. PAT]
> Scary. I am in what was SNET (Southern New England Telephone) territory.
> What was I believe the oldest RBOC in the country -- in fact I am right
> now sitting only about 1500 feet away from the site first commercial
> switching office in the country.
> SBC bought out SNET a few years back, and has done NOTHING for us but
> take what WAS good service and make it lousy, while raising prices and
> laying off workers. Back in the monolithic BELL ATT days, things were
> MUCH more reliable than they are now. I'm talking REAL sloppy stuff --
> botched record keeping, service suddenly shifted to a different set of
> pairs on the underground feed for no apparent reasons, etc. etc.
> SNET HAD been in the process of running fiber all over our state (and
> starting to do Cable TV!) when SBC bought them out and nixed all that.
> I HATE SBC. My only hope now is that perhaps Verizon will get big enough
> to buy them out? Or maybe some sort of deal that would give our state to
> Verizon? (All the surrounding states, and even a teeny tiny portion of
> this state, have Verizon as the local RBOC ILEC.)
Verizon does seem to be in a better position to purchase SBC at this point. But I suspect they'll first bankrupt Qwest, absorb it and then take either take on or start merger talks with SBC.
Mother Bell will be reunited, but without the regulatory framework from days of old. Woe to the consumer.
For all of SBC's blatant behavior the one to really watch is Verizon. Look at the bid war they're having with Qwest over MCI. I suspect their true motivation is to make Qwest pay far too much for MCI and then they'll roll in for the liquidation.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Ma Bell will live on forever, just like Terri Schiavo. In our nightmares, perhaps, but Ma does not intend you should forget about her anytime soon. PAT]