It seemed like it was a few months after the government broke up the telephone monopoly; prices dropped dramitatcilly. I know this on a personal level. I had

It seemed like it was a few months after the government broke up the telephone monopoly; prices dropped dramitatcilly. I know this on a personal level. I had a crazy friend in college who thought BHT (the preservative) could cure AIDS. His phone bill was $350-500/month. He would call researchers around the country, even Dr. Fauci. (Fauci actually listened to him once, until he found out he didn't have any credentials.) He once called France to speak with a researcher at work, over Rock Hudson's treatment. The small business owner came in steaming. He said, "Who called France. The call cost me $500.00!" Everyone was complaining about long distance charges. It literally seemed like in was a few months after the breakup, and long distance calls were dirt cheap. (It might have been longer than months, but it felt that way. It was then I realized the important antitrust laws, and how monopolies need to be slapped down.)