Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!killer!vector!telecom-gateway From: eli@ursa-major.spdcc.com (Steve Elias) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Divestiture was not a mistake Message-ID: Date: 3 Apr 89 01:03:26 GMT Sender: news@vector.UUCP Lines: 20 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 121, message 6 of 6 The current state of COCOTS and the recent rulings regarding default long distance carriers for pay phones can surely cause one to despair. With regard to pay phones and AOS, divestiture *is* a joke. I think it is mistaken to blame divestiture for these problems. If our pal Judge Hoo-Haa and his cronies had the public's best interest in mind, we might see a few reasonable laws. Allowing crappy AOS companies to charge exorbitant prices without telling the dialer is stupid. There has to be some recourse against these thieves. I don't think the answer is to allow any one company to monopolize long distance service. If the pay phones were required to display or speak the rates being applied, the problem would be solved by the free market. The voice equipment necessary for such a task shouldn't be too much -- especially for companies which charge megabucks per minute! sincerely 10333, steve elias (eli@spdcc.com)