This VoIP article titled "Competition: Gone Today, Here Tomorrow" just confirms what I blogged several days ago - that AT&T is not "surrendering" the residential market.
In fact, it bears repeating a quote from my blog entry, AT&T The Sleeping Giant Awakens to Blitzkrieg the VoIP Market, where I said "No friggin way!". AT&T is NOT giving up, they are not surrendering.
Far from it. Like I said in that previous blog entry, AT&T is "going in the back door" to avoid the spaghetti of telecom regulation.
AT&T's "excuse" for supposedly abandoning the residential market had to do with the discount program, called the Unbundled Network Elements Platform (UNE-P) rate structure, which forced the Baby Bells to lease equipment & lines to AT&T (and other phone companies) at artificially low prices established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). AT&T protested that the loss of these price controls was the end of local competition and consumer choice for local phone service, forcing their hand and making them abandon the residential market.
But, AT&T pulled a fast one and many mainstream journalists fell for it writing artlcles stating that AT&T was giving up and abandoning the residential market. Anything for a big news headline. Sheesh!
Just look at the evidence that AT&T is NOT abandoning the residential market:
Exhibit A: The AT&T Olympic commercials promoting AT&T CallVantage
Exhibit B: I've seen many Google ads and banner ads promoting CallVantage based on certain VoIP keywords. (though it looks like their Google keyword campaign may have slowed)
My suggestion to journalists uneducated in VoIP or specifically AT&T's plans? Go read AT&T The Sleeping Giant Awakens to Blitzkrieg the VoIP Market, maybe you'll learn something.
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I have to say you are totally RIGHT ! But some journalists never let facts get in the way of a good story.
AT&T is on a roll with CallVantage. If one looks at my posts to you here and on my blog, the clear cut direction of where they are going is very apparent.