ADSL FasTraking with Sharks (fwd)

[Roger Marquis <marquis@roble.com>]

>From the xDSL developers list.

  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 15:34:50 -0800
  From: "Neil D. Spicher" <spicher@pacbell.net>
  
  I worked for Pacific Bell for 28 years and I know how powerful they can
  be in strangling competition. Now, combined with SBC, their managers
  (3rd level and above) regard themselves as invincible.  With powerful
  lobbyists, ruthless lawyers, virtually unlimited capital, they do
  control the copper resources of approximately 55% of this nation's
  telecommunication infrastructure.  This is the very copper you and
  others want to "rent"  in order to deploy a new technology that is not
  entirely in the economic interests of PacBell/SBC.  Their investments in
  ISDN and T-1 for consumer use are substantial.  They are not going to
  contribute to a speedy migration of customers to DSL. When I suggested
  they do, I almost got my head torn off.
  
  They will "play" with DSL and give the public a perception of
  "interest,"  but their progress in FasTrak DSL (which I helped them to
  deploy in California) is little more than a farce.  (140+ customers in
  18 months!).  Take another look at what Concentric had to pay in order
  to "partner"  with them.  The connection costs are exorbitant and they
  all get passed on to the end-user.  The result is a service that few
  SOHO end-users can afford.  This chokes off penetration and contributes
  to the deployment delays.  (See Southworth's breakdown of infrastructure
  costs to be a DSL/Internet player.----expensive R&D).
  
  I own stock in SBC and Alcatel because I know they can manipulate the
  market place as they see fit.  So far they've equipped a measly 16
  offices in California with Alcatel DSLAMs.  I hear now that they've
  halted additional installations for "budgetary" reasons?  Budgetary?
  Have you been charting SBC and Alcatel stock?  Phenomenal progress!
  
  Take them on if you will, but don't be surprised by a backlash that
  you'll never see coming.  These guys have been swimming in a shark tank
  for years and they know how to survive and prosper there.  They do it by
  sucking up all the oxygen and eating smaller sharks from their tails
  right up through their backbones.  I lived in that shark tank as a
  district manager and know of what I speak.  I'm a survivor because I got
  out before the feeding frenzy turned on me.  I'm on your side----but I
  caution you to keep your eye on the sharks when they begin circling you.
  Shark repellant doesn't work.  It only increases their blood-lust.