Socking It To Us Land Lubbers

Trey Smith

First it was street-corner phone booths and home delivery of telephone books. Now, land lines are on their way to becoming part of American telecommunications history.

As consumers continue to move to wireless, states are passing or considering laws to end the requirement that phone companies provide everyone land-line service.

Indiana and Wisconsin are the two most recent states to end the requirement, and many others — including Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio — are considering it.

Bill sponsors and phone companies including AT&T say deregulating land-line phone service will increase competition and allow carriers to invest in better technology rather than expand a dying service. Some consumer organizations fear the change will hurt affordable service, especially in rural areas.
~ from State Laws Let Telephone Companies End Land-Line Services by Adam Sylvain ~

I have never owned a cell phone and, frankly, I don't want one. Unfortunately, I may soon find I don't have much of a choice!

First they took away our FREE analog TV signal and now this. It's not about providing "better service." It's all about getting more money out of consumers.

And the beat goes on.