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In the long run, tech changed the landscape so much that the breakup was ultimately a success. I'm skeptical that cell phones would be as ubiquitous and cheap a
by theandrewbailey 9y ago
In the long run, tech changed the landscape so much that the breakup was ultimately a success. I'm skeptical that cell phones would be as ubiquitous and cheap as they are if it didn't. Long distance calling (a big deal back then) was killed by tech and competition at the same time.
- Sir_Cmpwn 9y agoOther things like answering machines probably would not have happened, too. I wasn't around back then but as I understand it you were only allowed to connect Ma Bell's telephones to your telephone line and Bell's goons would break in and rip out unapproved telephone equipment.
- theandrewbailey 9y agoThird party devices were "legalized" by the Carterfone decision in the 1950s, long before the breakup. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/12/carterfone-40-years/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/12/carterfone-40-ye...