In article <17cmnlmmahub8.1tb7ygjt7qjql.dlg@40tude.net>,
CellGuy <cellguy@seemessagebody.com> wrote:

> Then our government broke up AT&T, and the downhill slide began. Cheap
> imported phones were allowed on your home lines, introducing service quality
> degradation. Competition spurned cost cutting on both the hardware and
> customer support side. We all know the state of the landline telephone
> service today. No wonder most young people don't even get a landline
> phone, what with the costs of owning one. Nuiscence charges, stupid taxes,
> and charges for options like voicemail that cellular carriers offer for
> free.
>
> FWIW, the only landline phone I have is for my business. The main house
> phone is VOIP, and my family uses cell phones for other calls.

It's the arrogance that AT&T has that will kill them.

The landline providers could have offered us the same options that the
VoIP providers offer now--and could have done it 15 years ago. The
landline providers still have their heads in the sand with respect to
competition.