However, Bell's dime was generated using infrastructure that was subsidized by our pennies. Without our pennis, Bell might only have a nickel at this point.
And half of Canada would not have affordable phone service or would have gotten it several decades later, much like how many remote areas are paying 2-5X the price for 2-10X slower and much less reliable broadband service than urban areas today... some do not even have any viable broadband options at all.
The POTS subsidies came with the obligation to serve rural/remote areas with the same or similar phone service and pricing available in urban areas. Urban areas were always profitable so that part of the telcos' network never needed subsidizing.
