by Eric Savitz, Blogger and Columnist, Barron's, Tech Trader Daily
Wow, this is pretty strange behavior for a company that is hemorrhaging access lines.
AT&T has unveiled plans to raise landline phone rates by more than 20 percent in California, according to both the San Jose Mercury News and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Top U.S. telecommunications executives Thursday gave a mixed outlook on the economy, saying business conditions have stabilized but they don’t see signs of a quick recovery.
The telecom industry has been relatively shielded from the worst effects of the downturn thanks to the growing need for wireless and Internet services. But it isn’t completely immune, as carriers face continued landline losses, weak demand from businesses and pricing pressure in wireless.
by Dennis K. Berman, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
Verizon Communications Inc. boss Ivan Seidenberg may be one of the best deal makers of his time, or one of the worst.
Today, three of Verizon’s most significant divestitures are either in bankruptcy or near it. As they say on Wall Street, it all depends on what side of the trade you’re on.
by Douglas Wolk, Contributor, Portfolio.com, Dual Perspectives
Most Americans now have mobile phones, and a Nielsen Mobile report last year found that nearly one in five of us have cut the cord, abandoning our landline service entirely.
When Google announced its integrated phone service called Google Voice Thursday, it said something very loudly.
Google is saying it wants to be the world’s communication hub, and hundreds of companies–ranging from mobile phone operators to Skype to Microsoft better be listening.
When AT&T grudgingly agreed to break itself up 25 years ago, it was seen as a truly momentous event in the history of the telecommunications industry. Today, however, some experts question not only whether the breakup of AT&T was necessary, but whether it even had any long-term impact on the telecom market.
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