government takeover of all telephone systems
The U.S. government nationalized all U.S. telegraph and telephone systems in 1918. That was neither a political nor economic success. … Read the post government takeover of all telephone systems
industry structure
communications industry structure, including mass media, advertising, and telephone companies
extraordinary U.S. rural telephone development
Early in the twentieth century, telephone prevalence in some rural U.S. states far exceeded that in major cities around the world. For example, Nebraska in 1914 averaged only 15 persons per mile of road. More than 99% of its roads were dirt (unsurfaced) roads. Yet across the rural, agricultural state of Nebraska in 1912 were … Continue reading extraordinary U.S. rural telephone development
leaders in the early spread of telephone service
About 1893, the country leading the world in telephones per 100 persons (teledensity) was Sweden. Telephone service in Sweden developed through a variety of institutional forms: the International Bell Telephone Company (a U.S. multinational), town and village co-operatives, the General Telephone Company of Stockholm (a Swedish private company), and the Swedish Telegraph Department (part of … Continue reading leaders in the early spread of telephone service
U.S. telephone companies' reported costs
U.S. incumbent local-exchange telephone companies’ average cost per loop has risen equivalent to 1.9% per year from 1988 to 2007. That’s a 0.4% reduction per year in real (inflation-adjusted) terms.[1] In contrast, computing costs and storage costs have probably been falling more than 40% per year in real terms over the past two decades. … Continue reading U.S. telephone companies' reported costs
subsidizing high-cost telephone lines stimulates growth
From its beginnings, the U.S. telephone industry has included many small telephone companies. Over time government programs have been established to subsidize small, high-cost telephone companies.[1] Under the High-Cost Loop Support program, about $1 billion in subsidies were given in 2007 to incumbent local-exchange telephone companies (ILECs) that had relatively high-cost loops.[2] The subsidy to … Continue reading subsidizing high-cost telephone lines stimulates growth