>>>If you want to get gouged - let the government dictate how business should be run!
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>>I pay more for phone service after telecom deregulation. So sad.
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>Deregulation is failing miserably because giant corps are eating up the smalling ones and concentrating service and supplies into fewer companies.
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>The airways and internet ways are being eaten alive by the top of the food chain.

Jerry;

With all this "buy out" crap, I think it is the financial institutions that really "own" everything.

A story on TV two weeks ago: One year ago there were 110 ISP's and today there are 14. Next year they expect the number of ISP's to be four (4)! Can you guess who? AOL, EarthLink, AT&T and Microsoft?

By the way my ISP was bought out by OneMain, who was bought out by EarthLink. My "new" plan from EarthLink which will begin in August, will cost twice as much and provide less service - the American way. If I elect to pay by check - I must pay an additional two dollars a month. My web space is reduced and I no longer have 15 minute troubleshooting response. Just received the letter yesterday concerning this topic. After six years with JPS and two buy outs later, things have really improved. Guess which ISP I had before JPS, that really pissed me off because of the lack of service, etc. EarthLink! Tonight I am signing up with AT&T@home - at least it will be fast!

Tom