cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | reply to DataDoc
Re: What to expect? I think the worst case is duopoly, which is a far better situation than a monopoly.
voice
1. The consumer can keep their phone number between cable and telco service. Wireless and voip is still an option for voice service.
video
2. Cabletv, telcotv, sat tv and free OTA.
internet
3. cable, telco, wireless(wimax soon?)
Most people are going to enjoy plenty of options and stiff competition.
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Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| said by cwh:..... Most people are going to enjoy plenty of options and stiff competition. Dude, what you smokin' - can I get some of that?
Stiff competition? Where is this competition coming from? At best, 99.9% of the U.S. population has a choice of one (1) cable company AND one (1) phone company for broadband. A lot of people (like me) only have a choice of ONE provider, either cable or telco.
This merger WILL DO NOTHING to increase competition and the absolute most likely outcome will be to REDUCE competition.
I think I'm going to start learning chinese so I will be able to surf the web 5-10 years from now - that's who will be ruling the internet, not the U.S. |
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 RobIn Deo speramus, God Bless the USAPremium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
kudos:2 | said by nasadude:said by cwh:..... Most people are going to enjoy plenty of options and stiff competition. Dude, what you smokin' - can I get some of that? Stiff competition? Where is this competition coming from? At best, 99.9% of the U.S. population has a choice of one (1) cable company AND one (1) phone company for broadband. A lot of people (like me) only have a choice of ONE provider, either cable or telco. This merger WILL DO NOTHING to increase competition and the absolute most likely outcome will be to REDUCE competition. I think I'm going to start learning chinese so I will be able to surf the web 5-10 years from now - that's who will be ruling the internet, not the U.S. This merger can only INCREASE Competition. It can't REDUCE it because AT&T and BellSouth *NEVER* competed against each other.
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YourIP.US - Quickly Locate Your IP! |
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| said by Rob:This merger can only INCREASE Competition. It can't REDUCE it because AT&T and BellSouth *NEVER* competed against each other.
But who is the competition? Who is going to be able to compete with this once again meganolpoly?
DV
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Bush is the Prez....Think Patriot Act II....This outspoken dissident....In jail I'll be soon. |
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cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | National cable companies. It was noted recently here that comcast was the number #2 isp in the country until the ATT/BS merger. The merger barely puts ATT in 2nd place. |
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RobIn Deo speramus, God Bless the USAPremium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
kudos:2 | reply to DiscardedVet
said by DiscardedVet:said by Rob:This merger can only INCREASE Competition. It can't REDUCE it because AT&T and BellSouth *NEVER* competed against each other. But who is the competition? Who is going to be able to compete with this once again meganolpoly? DV The Cable co's. Now that AT&T is larger, the cable co's have to compete harder in areas taht AT&T now controls, whereas before, the didn't worry too much.
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YourIP.US - Quickly Locate Your IP! |
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cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | reply to nasadude
Most poeple are going to have choice of going to cable or telco for tv, internet or phone services. They are pushing the same products, just give the telcos a little more time to get their video products out. |
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| reply to Rob
said by Rob:said by nasadude:said by cwh:..... Most people are going to enjoy plenty of options and stiff competition. Dude, what you smokin' - can I get some of that? Stiff competition? Where is this competition coming from? At best, 99.9% of the U.S. population has a choice of one (1) cable company AND one (1) phone company for broadband. A lot of people (like me) only have a choice of ONE provider, either cable or telco. This merger WILL DO NOTHING to increase competition and the absolute most likely outcome will be to REDUCE competition. I think I'm going to start learning chinese so I will be able to surf the web 5-10 years from now - that's who will be ruling the internet, not the U.S. This merger can only INCREASE Competition. It can't REDUCE it because AT&T and BellSouth *NEVER* competed against each other. And who is to say competion WILL INCREASE??? I propose a stalemate. I believe that what will happen is the massive cable-co and telcos will snuggle up together, not really offering competion but rather a comfortable agreement of services and price.
This will not help the consumer. If one raises rates that gives the other freedom to do so.
See what the cable/sat are doing? Sat offers generally similar price, typically more HD content, but with the limitation of being disconnected durring inclimate weather. The cable co offers fewer channels (generally) at a similar price. They are using the 'we offer no dropouts' as the only real competative edge.
I have been going over the math of ATTs so-called 'bundled' services and came to the conclusion that the bundled price is typically 20-40 dollars more than buying the services seperately. How does that play out? I should buy more from you and pay more for all the services I get?
If anything this merger will only bring a new player in the field, but will not offer any competion. As of current, their IPTV prices alone cost more than the current cable pr sat company, and you get fewer channels (had they been currently deployed here).
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- "Techie" Jim |
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 roamer1sticking it out at you
join:2001-03-24
Atlanta, GA | reply to Rob
said by Rob:This merger can only INCREASE Competition. It can't REDUCE it because AT&T and BellSouth *NEVER* competed against each other. AT&T (old TCG, SBC Telecom, etc.) did compete against BellSouth for large business customers in BellSouth states, and AT&T arguably competed against BellSouth in BellSouth states for residential voice in the form of CallVantage. Then there's the legacy LD customer base (people that could choose BSLD or other companies for LD but chose to stay with Ma), etc. to consider...
OTOH, BellSouth never competed against anyone at all outside the nine Southeastern states. IMO, aside from Cingular, the lack of out-of-region network and business is probably the biggest thing that led to BellSouth selling out -- as it was, they were likely handing way too much money to Qwest and other companies for LD and IP transport, they couldn't compete effectively for large multi-state business customers, etc.)
-SC
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said to me: "it seems like all you ever buy is Abercrombie and cell phones"  |
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Don't forget that cable has more broadband customers than telco's do. |
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RJ44
join:2001-10-19
Nashville, TN | reply to jimbo2150
said by jimbo2150:I have been going over the math of ATTs so-called 'bundled' services and came to the conclusion that the bundled price is typically 20-40 dollars more than buying the services seperately. Can you share that math with the rest of the class? Would be very interesting reading. |
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| reply to cwh
We've given them 10 years. How much longer should we give them? |
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said by RJ44:said by jimbo2150:I have been going over the math of ATTs so-called 'bundled' services and came to the conclusion that the bundled price is typically 20-40 dollars more than buying the services seperately. Can you share that math with the rest of the class? Would be very interesting reading. Oy Vey... I have already posted the math in like 5 other posts... tired. If I get time later I will do it again here.
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- "Techie" Jim |
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| I'd like to see the math. I don't see any math in your posting history though. |
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 leXicon5Pelosi, SHUT YOUR Fing Pie HolePremium
join:2000-12-27
Saint Louis, MO | reply to jimbo2150
said by jimbo2150:Oy Vey... I have already posted the math in like 5 other posts... tired. If I get time later I will do it again here. I'm still interested in this equation...when I try to buy individual items...it cost ME more. Bundled, it's is actually cheaper....for ME....I guess in Bizarro World it would cost more if bundled. 
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"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" - David St. Hubbins |
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