Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Fri, 7 Jun 91 8:58:01 EDT From: Ken Jongsma Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: RBOCs Own Cellular Message-ID: Organization: TELECOM Digest Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu 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 431, Message 7 of 10 Lines: 24 It would appear the more things change, the more they stay the same. From the June 10 issue of _Business Week_: In the latest acquisition of an independent cellular telephone outfit by a deep pocketed traditional phone company, Ameritech on May 28 agreed to purchase Cybertel RSA Cellular and Cybertel financial for $512 million. The Cybertel acquisitions will extend the Chicago based Baby Bell's cellular reach from the Great Lakes region south to nearby St. Louis. Of the top 10 cellular carriers, only No. 1 McCaw Cellular Communications is not now owned by a conventional "wireline" phone company. Indeed, phone companies are mainly battling one another: Ameritech and Southwestern Bell will go head to head in St. Louis and Chicago. --------- I find the second paragrah very disturbing. Some may claim that there is no way that the local service ratepayer subsidizes this business, but at the very least, it distracts the RBOCs from doing what they ought to be. That is, delivering improved local wireline service.