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[IP] More on At SBC, It's All About "Scale and Scope"





Begin forwarded message:

From: DV Henkel-Wallace <gumby@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 30, 2005 5:47:11 PM EST
To: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger@xxxxxxx>
Cc: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [IP] More on At SBC, It's All About "Scale and Scope"


It _is_ frightening, but Whitacre and his peers should beware what they wish for.

If I can't call you I presume that it's because _my_ phone service is broken. Most people, especially the (phone-)technically unsophisticated, will feel the same. If SBC goes down this path they're just _asking_ Congress or the FCC to give them common- carrier status back, this time for the data service they fought so hard to be exempt.

Would Microsoft (MSN) fight the Telcos/Cablecos rather than be in their thrall? Were MS to choose to not fight, Yahoo! and Google would likely chose the opposite in response...via lobbyists.

It would not be a good idea for the "first mile" to be regulated like POTS, so we should fight this. But the worst-case for actual users is probably even worse for the telcos.

-d




From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger@xxxxxxx>
Date: October 30, 2005 4:36:33 PM EST

The interview with SBC's Whitacre is truely frightening. He is
talking like a monopolost with "absolute power" and with no
fear that anyone will be able to stop him.


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