The only way this worked when was AT&T had a virtual monopoly on all telecommunications (design, installation, services, etc) in the US, and had their rates se

The only way this worked when was AT&T had a virtual monopoly on all telecommunications (design, installation, services, etc) in the US, and had their rates set using a rate of return derived pricing mechanism. We can probably get such things back, but they are not Free exactly. RCA had similar labs, but I think changes to the tax code makes them less worthwhile to do today as well.