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From: john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: What is MFJ a TLA For?
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Date: 6 Dec 90 17:18:57 GMT
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Reply-To: John Higdon <john@bovine.ati.com>
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 871, Message 4 of 11


On Dec 6 at  0:08, TELECOM Moderator writes:

> the telephone network in the USA is
> going to (bleep) in a handbasket. What took a century to build and
> refine, a judge killed with the stroke of a pen.  PAT]

There are obvious examples confirming your point of view, but there
are (IMHO) many more examples of benefits that most certainly would
never have seen the light of day if stodgy old AT&T was still the head
of the church.

I know my bank account is a little fatter as a result of the MFJ. When
"The Phone Company" did EVERYTHING, non-telco designers,
manufacturers, and consultants were unheard of. So how have we
benefitted? Well, I'd like to compare your two-line "twist knob" phone
to my Panasonic KX-T1232. Or maybe a "Dataphone" 300bps modem to one
of my Trailblazers (which would have been forbidden for me to hook up
in the old days).

My long distance calls go through faster, more reliably, and sound
better then in the pre-MFJ era. Is this the stuff of which handbaskets
are made? Pac*Bell, as bad as it is, is MUCH more responsive to my
wishes and needs than it ever was as Pacific Telephone. (Repair is
faster, needed less often, and the people are much more open about how
it all works.)

AT&T now BEGS for my business. In the pre-MFJ their arrogance knew no
bounds. In fact, I use several long distance companies--each providing
certain benefits.

Does all of this require more public education to reap the benefits?
You bet. What doesn't these days? But with the exception of COCOTs, I
find telephone service now to be superior by a quantum leap to that
which existed before the gospel of the famous Judge.


        John Higdon         |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 723 1395
    john@bovine.ati.com     | San Jose, CA 95150 |       M o o !