AT&T Crank

Didn't we already break up AT&T? Guess that is like asking "Didn't we already invade Iran?" Can this administration keep ignoring history? I guess they will. After the AT&T monopoly breakup we saw an explosion of telecommunication innovations and options that was good for the markets, good for the consumer and good for business. Now AT&T is huge again with less competitors. And it is getting bigger with the proposed purchase of their competitor: Cellular One. Enough is enough even if the iPhone is now available to more rural customers. And if you haven't notice, cell phone contracts are getting longer and bills are getting bigger. Business consolidation may not give us a pure monopoly but it sure raises the barriers to entry and prices.

And while I'm at it, what about that AT&T name? Cingular changed their name to AT&T. Marketing research probably shows that more people know how to spell AT&T than Cingular so the merged company took over the old name. Simple. Three letters and a squiggle. But I suggest they change the name just slightly to AT$T. It is only money out of your pocket.

iphone Crank

Since this is iphone day ( 1 i.p.), I thought I'd move some attitude to my blog and be cranky like Dave Winer and John Dvorak. I've long been accused of being cranky by friends and co-workers. So on to the wonder of iphone and the religous apple.

So you pay about $1,000 so Jobs can smirk some more? This certainly isn't capitalism where the marketplaces is logical. There is no logic to sitting on your butt for 36 hours waiting for some nerdy AT&T employees to take your credit card while they've been playing with the phone since noon! This is mania and running with the herd and not wanting to get to the high school chess club meeting late.

Wonder how many AT&T staff hand in their resignations today and walk out with their iphone. Talk about cutting in line!