Apart from the Mirosoft debate, some clarification on the breakup of AT&T
seems to be called for.  John makes a good point about the Baby Bells.  For
those who may not remember, the FCC had already ruled that other long
distance companies could offer services to consumers, and that the local
phone companies must grant access well before AT&T was broken up.  Companies
like MCI and Sprint were busily selling long distance services to consumers
while the AT&T monopoly still existed.  After the breakup, that aspect of
phone service didn't change.  Neither did local service.  Consumers still
could buy local phone service from only one company. (Whether it was the
"Bell System", GT&E or another local company, it was still one company for
any given location.)  The only thing that kept prices from going through the
roof, and service levels from going down the tubes was oversight by local
Public Utilities Commissions.

This is still largely true today.  There are some new companies starting to
sell local phone service, but they don't have the infrastructure to be major
players yet.  It appears the breakup of AT&T hasn't hurt consumers, but I
don't see that it has helped much either.  I question whether the cost of
the years of litigation was worth it.

-----Original Message-----
From: John Lee [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 12:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OT: RE: U.S. Judge Finds Microsoft Holds Monopoly Power


At 11:49 AM 11/8/1999 -0800, you wrote:
>To what Denys said:
>
>Nonsense. The sun came up around here on Saturday. From Microsoft's
>standpoint, the worst thing that could happen would be for it to be broken
>up into separate, competing companies, much as with Ma Bell. But how does
>this possibly hurt consumers or share holders in the long run? What
historic
>evidence we have suggests just the opposite. So far, Wall Street opinion
>does not reflect your doom and gloom either.
>
>BTW, do your comments mean you were against the breakup of AT&T? And that
>you think it has not benefited consumers and shareholders?


The local bells still have a monopoly.  Our service here is terrible and we
can't do anything about it - there is no alternative.

John Lee