| Nice way to over simplify the scenario. Let me repeat. The Bells AGREED to sharing their lines. In other words they worked out a deal with the U.S. government to lease their lines to competitors so they can get better deals on offering long distance services. Nobody twisted their arm. Nobody coerced them. Nobody forced them to take the deal.
The Bells didn't get their monopoly because nobody else wanted to build it. They got it because the government wanted a standardized form of communication. If you check your history you will find out there were plenty of other telcos that ended up getting absorbed by Ma Bell because of this. The Bells have been riding a gravy train and then they screwed up by getting too greedy. That's why they have to share their lines. |
