Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bu.edu!telecom-request From: motcid!linneweh@uunet.uu.net (Louis Linneweh) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Dial "0" for Mickey Mouse Message-ID: Date: 20 Mar 91 19:31:17 GMT Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Div., Arlington Hgts, IL Lines: 24 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 223, Message 1 of 9 goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com (Fred R. Goldstein) writes: > Y'see, back when WDW was being created, the swamps west of Kissimee > were unpopulated and no telco served them. So Disney created a > telephone company subsidiary and got certificated to serve the area, > which they named after, I think, a place in Anaheim (LBV). They sold > half to United, which no doubt added some expertise. It's a fully > modern operation with two COs, optical fiber, etc. And given the > growth in the area, it has quite a few phones in its territory. > (Smart move!) It is my understanding, via some traveling telepony salesman stories from a co-worker, that a small independent telco was licensed to serve the area that was to become Walt Disney World. WDW gave them a staggering list of requirements which would have resulted in the independent growing by several orders of magnitude, and the capital required was not forthcoming. WDW was more tham happy to buy them out to insure first class telephone service, and formed the joint venture with United. I believe the former owner (a one family operation?) got a good dollar, but not a goldmine business! Does anyone out there know the whole story?