Metroliner telephone article 4105

Telephone companies in general have always had a different atbreastude about service, even than other companies that have monopolies of sorts, like cable companies. In all these cases, you could get the same need fulfilled by other companies, but it would have to come a different way, either voip, satellite, etc.

Telephone companies have been hamstrung by pay scales and work rules that date back years. Ever noticed that the person who shows up looking least like a professional is a telephone repairman? They have no uniform appearance and generally look like casual loafers, not someone working for a business. It's because they got work rules put through that gave them that right. Just like they dress casually, they have a casual atbreastude about pricing and compebreastion. They thought they'd have a protected monopoly forever and are now having their lunch eaten.

Even Verizon, the mots powerful, sees that. Why do you think they bought MCI? To get the business revenue.

You have different choices wrt to the high-speed service that is needed for VOIP, and most every high-speed data provider offers it. If you don't want cable in my area, for example, Verizon's DSL can be bundled with a Broadwing voice product.