Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Scanner
So, they said, "Gee, your a monopoly" and broke them up.
The company was called MCI (Microwave Communications Incorporated) and it changed the face of telecommunications and probably laid down the foundation for the formation of the internet.
A company is not afforded the same ethical rights as an individual is. A corporation, although recognized as a seperate entity by the IRS, does not eat, breath, feel pain.
|
sorry for the OT, but here goes:
having worked for MCI, i can agree that they were adventurous and 'david vs goliath' in spirit. once upon a time.... then worldcom came in, enticed by the fact that MCI owns the backbone of UUNET (THE internet).
since then, SBC bought ameritech, pacbell, nevada bell, southwestern bell, southern new england telephone, and then AT&T (and promptly adopted their name). they've also just now bought bellsouth.
on the other hand, verizon (formerly nynex and bell atlantic) bought GTE and MCI as of january '06 (including all of our govenment contracts, and oh did i mention the internet backbone too?).
the layoffs began and never quite ended, and the country is left with 2 major phone carriers: AT&T and verizon (unless you count QWEST, and they're in enough financial trouble that you ought not bother). these 2 carriers now control the bulk of the nation's phone service (residential, commercial, and government), UUNET, and the majority of internet access. oh, and don't forget wireless, since AT&T and verizon are also cingular and verizon wireless... and verizon is stepping into the cable arena with FIOS.
my whole point here is that, sadly, the fight MCI gave AT&T for fair pricing and good services was valiant, but the change they effected has all but completely melted away, replaced by 2 giant conglomerates who between them control the vast majority of all communications in both the public and private sector. when you take into consideration the variety of media they're involved in, both AT&T and verizon probably control each control a larger market than the original AT&T ever did.