At&t promised congress they would get highspeed internet anywhere as long as they passed regulations that would permit them to purchase BellSouth. Well 5 years later, still no high speed internet, but the problem is congress passed all the regulations…At&t pulled a fast one on Congress.
The $86 billion deal created a telecommunications colossus with customers in 22 states. Consumer advocates opposed the merger as a threat to competition. But AT&T’s then-chief executive Edward Whitacre assured Congress that allowing his company to expand would help consumers, supplying “greater access and more choices for broadband, no matter where they live or work.”
That promise carried the day. The Federal Communications Commission allowed the two companies to merge on the condition that AT&T offer broadband Internet to every customer in its territory by the end of 2007.
[HP]
