>>I feel certain the obvious criticisms (price, infrastructure, bandwidth, etc) noted here were strongly considered by T when the deal was reviewed and approved.<<
One would think so, or hope so, at least. But I saw and heard some of the interviews, and I listened to Friday's recap recording of the CC. I have to stop and wonder how much due dilly was actually done on this one, if they sat down and "banged out" an agreement in ten measly days. Ten days, eh? That's about 4,000,000 passed homes, and the books of multiple subsidiary companies and afiliates per day, to scrutinize. I don't think so. This one "sounds like" it was done very hastily, and I for one would be very happy if someone could demonstrate that actual diligence was performed prior to the ten-day bang-out sessions.
[[I was once asked to do the engineering, project management and relocation of the largest market data system provider at the time, moving their office automation and mainframe systems provisiions from Manhattan to New Jersey. Eleven thousand dedicated lines, and 47 IBM Front Ends serving over four hundred customers in New York City alone. They wanted me to guarantee that this could be done in 6 weeks. I told them, after some guessing work, and not seeing any of the plans yet, 18 months. It took two years. So much for Wall Street Machismo.]]
Thirty or forty million passed homes served by multiple system operators is a lot of diligence in my book.
Franchising was not discussed during those ten days, I wouldn't think, since the parties during that time were negotiating against (for?) each other, prior to becoming "one." Any thoughts about novel marketing schemes are now afterthoughts, I'm afraid. I'd be happy to be corrected on this one, if anyone knows of a preordained marketing plan using outlets or franchises is set to, or about to, go into effect.
The step into hybrid fiber/coaxial home delivery is a bold one, and one that can succeed. But when? and at what price?, I have to ask.
Price is one thing, and solving the features and service profile issues, such as powering and backup for voice services, are altogether different considerations. They're related in the long run, but different value calls and thought processes are involved.
Service provisioning policy issues would need to be looked at in a fresh manner. I sense that if the availability and reliability traits for which T has become known for so long to survive, these policy decisions will result in a very costly upgrade and buildout affair, indeed.
FWIW, Frank C. |
