Good points... I don't live in the sticks, but I do live in a mid-sized city... Greensboro, NC. Relatively speaking, we have little competition.JohnG@lt wrote:
Verizon (via NYNEX) built and operates/maintains the towers. I know this because my dad installed many of their radio towers for them in the 80s. I have a nice picture of myself on top of the WTC as a child right next to the giant radio tower that he helped design and build. Granted, the system was originally designed with car phones in mind but they adapted it to cell phone service over time. So, why should they not profit off of infrastructure they built themselves?
Do you not have 3G coverage in your area? Is there no option for satellite broadband? Do you live in a densely populated area or do you live in the sticks where the cost of installing infrastructure would outweigh the benefit for the company providing the service? What would be a competition level that you would be more comfortable with? How many companies do you think should compete for your business? If you have a real issue with it, and think that better service in your area is warranted, why haven't you formed your own telecom company to compete with TWC?
I don't share your problems as I live in the most densely populated part of the country and have many options for my internet and phone services. Perhaps if you're worried about competition in your area, you should move to a part of the country where it's economically viable to compete.
Granted, I'll admit that most government regulation often just empowers corporations rather than restricting them.
In the long run, I guess it doesn't really matter, because the people running government are no more interested in supporting my interests than the people running big business. We're just numbers, really....