john262
join:2003-09-26
Elko, NV
 ·Wireless Beehive
| Those ISP's will drive up prices.
If you are an SBC customer you can get DSL for $19.95 per month. That's dirt cheap and a real boon to consumers. Heck, a lot of diaup ISP's charge more than that.
But if these ISP's have their way SBC will no longer be able to sell DSL that cheap, and the consumer loses. As far as I'm concerned, if SBC wants to "subsidize SBC Yahoo’s DSL service with revenues from other telephone company subsidiaries" that's fine with me as long as it keeps prices down. |
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vavoiper
join:2005-03-08
Falls Church, VA
|  Yes, but if you let them have control of the market now, they will eventually raise prices...as monopolists always do (see 2 threads down on VZ's recent price increases). It's called Predatory Pricing, that is, using one's monopolistic position to lower prices to the detriment of competitors, and is illegal...if it can be proven. |
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john262
join:2003-09-26
Elko, NV
·Wireless Beehive
| Yes, I know all about predatory pricing. But if they raise their prices later people can always disconnect from them and get cable broadband or wireless. You see, as long as cable is out there and wireless is up and coming, they can't be called a monopoly.
The bottom line is that their $19.95 price is allowing many people to get broadband who otherwise couldn't afford it. How can that not be a good thing? |
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KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD
clubs:
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Speakeasy
| As long as the customer has the option of cable or wireless, that's not a bad argument.
For me, there's no wireless provider around, so cable would be my only choice.
Hmmm, a choice between the local ILEC monopoly or the local cable monopoly - not much of a choice. I'm glad I can go to one of seven local supermarkets, one of 12 different gas stations, etc. around here for choices and deals. Having a choice of two monopolies is not really much of a choice...
KM
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quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI
| reply to john262
Just remember, that SBC's $19.95 is only for x months. After the first (in Michigan it's 6 months), it bumps up to $39.95. Not only that, but unlike other ISP's, you are REQUIRED to get SBC's "All-Distance" service, for a mere $35/mo (Plus 'taxes', but lets not get into that discussion here).
Luckly, I still live in a state that SBC is required to sell unbundled pairs off their copper-plant. Meaning -- local ISP's can sell dry-pair DSL service.
SBC says that in some states this cannot be done, yet all the DSLAMS they installed in the past 5 years can work just fine on a dry-pair. In-fact, it works better, and get DSL to customers even further from the copper-plant.
And as far as the discussion of T1 service being more reliable -- just remember, in most of N. America, most T1 circuits are really dry-pair DSL circuits, that have monitors on them. Look for your local SmartJack -- chances are it's a DSL circuit that uses the full in-band signal, instead of the upper and lower band. |
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vavoiper
join:2005-03-08
Falls Church, VA | reply to john262
Who else can one call for business voice in most metropolitan areas. It ain't cable & it ain't wireless, in fact it ain't anybody but the monopoly ILEC. |
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john262
join:2003-09-26
Elko, NV
·Wireless Beehive
| reply to quetwo
They routinely renew subscribers at their present rate, and they also routinely let you change to a lower rate at renewal time if one is available. This is well documented at the SBC forum right here at BBR.
Of course nothing is forever, and their policies may change sometime in the future, but you can also say that about any other carrier that you sign up with bar none. |
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john262
join:2003-09-26
Elko, NV
·Wireless Beehive
| reply to vavoiper
I'm not going to debate the merits or lack of merits of monopolies here, but I do know that a lot of people long for the less complicated days when AT&T had an unfettered nationwide monopoly. There are arguments on both sides of this issue, but generally I will go with whatever system provides consumers with the lowest possible price.
Right now that's SBC in many areas.
If SBC starts to abuse their position too much in the future they can always be subjected to subsequent regulations. |
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