Telecom Trends

I think Michael Geist is on to something. The telcos and some cablecos have achieved what they call "the 4-pack" and are off and running to add to those bundles. Let's take a look at the 4-pack. It's phone (local and long distance), wireless (which allows one to make local and long distance calls from just about anywhere), the Internet and TV. Two of the 4 parts of the 4-pack are just plain telephony - the making and receiving of local and long distance calls. The only distinction is the technology. Nothing demonstrates this more clearly than the growing numbers of people who are getting rid of their wireline service and just going with wireless for all their telephony needs. The technology isn't important the important thing, it's just being able to make phone calls, whether local or long distance.

So, if one accepts that the 4-pack is really a 3-pack - telephony, Internet and TV, then what does that do to the whole issue or question of the deregulation of telecommunications and Mr. Bernier's proposed test for determining if a market is competitive and can be foreborne?

As well, if one thinks in terms of TELEPHONY AS JUST A SERVICE (and not about whether the call is local or long distance or whether it's made with a wireline or wireless phone or whether the service provider is owns the facilities or not), what does it do to all the distinctions that are made in the legislation and regulations between local service, long distance, wireless, etc., etc. and what does it do to all the classifications (ILEC - large and small, CLEC, wireless, resellers, etc.) and are all these distinctions really necessary in today's world?

So, I think Michael Geist has put his virtual finger on a crucial question here in terms of all the activity that is going on around the deregulation of telecom and that is are we looking at this through the wrong microscope.