opus@drutx.UUCP (ShanklandJA) (06/06/84)
>> Regarding AT&T's "unfair" regulation: AT&T is now claiming, with a >> straight face, that they no longer have the power to control the long >> distance market. >> Funny, when I heard that I suddenly remembered similar remarks about >> the silver market from the Hunt brothers about five years ago. Here in Denver, there are some five or six alternative long distance companies in operation; ALL of them are undercutting AT&T's long distance prices. When equal access goes into effect (soon now), customers will be able to select their default long distance company (the one they get when they dial '1' plus the number), and choose any other carrier for a call by dialing a five-digit prefix. By all accounts, the competition for customers is expected to be intense. Under the circumstances, I don't see how anyone can claim that AT&T retains the power to control the long distance market.
karn@mouton.UUCP (06/07/84)
The latest figures show that AT&T still has about 93% of all the inter-LATA traffic in the US. THAT gives them the power to control the long distance market, along with preferred switch access, simpler use, etc. Phil