While integrated telecom services continue to be futuristic in concept, perceived consumer demand for these services is growing, reports In-Stat -- Over half of the respondents to an In-Stat consumer survey indicated a desire to purchase integrated services. Integrated services will allow providers to actually tie what have been disparate networks together (primarily landline, wireless, and voice) and offer a new class of services. Cell-phone/landline integration continued to have the highest positive response, with 62 percent of respondents indicating an interest in purchasing this service, as compared to 51 percent respondent interest in a 2004 survey. "The meaningful way of tying the pieces of telecom services together has quickly evolved from simply single-bill bundling to talk of integrating the various networks customers use into unified, experience-based service offerings," says Amy Cravens, In-Stat analyst. The survey also revealed that the 18 to 34-age bracket, as well as those with household incomes of $100,000 or more, are most willing to pay for integrated services.
Try to imagine this scenario, that General Motors and Ford were given exclusive franchises to build America's interstate highway system, and also all the highways that connect local communities. Now imagine that, based upon a financial crisis, these troubled companies decided to convert all "their" local arteries into toll-roads -- they then use incremental toll fees to severely limit all travel to and from small businesses. Why? This handicapping process reduced the need to invest in building better new roads, or repairing the dilapidated ones. But, wouldn't that short-sighted decision have a detrimental impact on the overall national economy? It's a moot point -- pure fantasy -- you say. The U.S. political leadership would never knowingly risk the nation's social and economic future on the financial viability of a restrictive duopoly. Or, would they? The 21st century Global Networked Economy travels across essential broadband infrastructure. The forced intro...