In the Chicagoland area, their DSL service was simply horrible, and it languished, until Comcast started rolling out Internet and triple-play (cable TV, Internet, and phone).
Suddenly, AT&T's market was at material risk.
Even then, their Internet offerings remained poorly supported, if relatively somewhat improved.
I suspect the primary reason for this announcement is for use in manipulating various political entities, including Congress. Also, some public PR value, from those who are still inclined to believe anything they might have to say.
Note that today's AT&T is really SBC. AT&T was a mostly empty shell at the time SBC bought them up -- largely, I suspect, for the branding.
In the Chicagoland area, their DSL service was simply horrible, and it languished, until Comcast started rolling out Internet and triple-play (cable TV, Internet, and phone).
Suddenly, AT&T's market was at material risk.
Even then, their Internet offerings remained poorly supported, if relatively somewhat improved.
I suspect the primary reason for this announcement is for use in manipulating various political entities, including Congress. Also, some public PR value, from those who are still inclined to believe anything they might have to say.
Note that today's AT&T is really SBC. AT&T was a mostly empty shell at the time SBC bought them up -- largely, I suspect, for the branding.