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IP: Sitting Pretty: How Baby Bells May Conquer Their World
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 14:53:24 -0400
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/22/technology/22TELE.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/22/technology/22TELE.html April 22, 2001 Sitting Pretty: How Baby Bells May Conquer Their World By SETH SCHIESEL Here is what the United States telecommunications industry may well look like in 2004: Of the Baby Bell local phone carriers, once seven in number, three remain Qwest Communications, SBC Communications and Verizon Communications and they are by far the most powerful and important communications companies in the nation. The corporations once known as long-distance carriers, like AT&T, are shells of their former selves. Only 15 percent of the nation's roughly 110 million households have switched their local phone service to a new competitor. But the Bells, which now sell long-distance services in three dozen states, control half of the consumer long-distance market. WorldCom, a highflier once worth more than $150 billion, now belongs to one of the Bells, making that company a major force in the business services market. Sprint was acquired by another Bell, or perhaps by a foreign carrier, but only after spinning off its wireless or local phone operations. One of the Bells tried to acquire AT&T's core business services operation, but was thwarted by regulators. Global Crossing and Level 3 Communications, meanwhile, merged after a titanic clash of egos. Nextel, the big independent wireless carrier, was acquired, too. Only AT&T Wireless and VoiceStream remain as major competitors to the Bells' wireless operations. <snip> For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/
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- IP: Sitting Pretty: How Baby Bells May Conquer Their World Dave Farber (Apr 22)