2 years after the landmark Telecommunications Act was enacted with
great fanfare and promises of lower rates for telephone and cable
television service, consumers have yet to reap any of the expected
benefits. Intended to stimulate new competition and new services in
telephone and television markets, the act has lately generated mostly
lawsuits and confusion. Since the act was passed, charges for cable
TV have risen 13% according to government inflation statistics. Local
phone rates are up 2%, while long-distance calls within states are up
9%. Interstate long distance rates are down 1%, although they have
begun rising again over the past few months. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2552805261-1b7
--Ignore that man behind the curtain . . .
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