Getting with the program

There are only two ways to slice a pizza: in wedges or the right way. There's only one way to skin a cat, but 50 ways to leave your lover, according to Paul Simon. And ultimately, there are only two ways to see the world: the good old way or the new way — although, in another generation, today's new way will become the good old way and a new way will take its place.

For now, the new way is all about competition. And in most ways competition is good. It drives innovation. It lowers prices. It creates jobs. One downside to competition that leaves you longing for the good old way, is that it is no longer possible to have yourself a nice stable business where you make a decent living by taking a fair profit for a necessary and well-delivered service. You can't just be happy as a small businessperson, making enough money for yourself and your investors to have cute little houses, send your kids to college and take a few trips.

Earnest young men can no longer set up shop as a phone company and worry only about efficiency and quality. There's too much competition. It's coming from all directions and forcing small companies to change. Cable operators, wireless and satellite providers and rural telephone companies that have already converted to the new way are forcing them to join the larger corporate philosophy: Expand or die.

The funny thing is, some rural providers seem to like it. Carol Wilson's cover story (page 28) tells how four independent phone companies are taking to this new way through the expansive reach of their CLEC arms. My story (page 14) tells the tale from a different point-of-view: an actual CLEC's.

The new way also affects Tier 1 carriers. Consolidation on a grand scale is feeding their latest growth spurt, and growing pains are setting in for all. Grievances new and old are flaring again and petitions are getting filed left and right. Joan Engebretson's story (page 4) covers the contentious proposal of using reverse auctions to assign funding for high-cost areas. Kevin Fitchard (page 6) updates us on the ongoing dispute over roaming charges. And on the back page, Ken Johnson, associate at Bennet & Bennet, talks about “The Missoula Plan,” the latest blueprint for inter-carrier compensation.

Ed Gubbins (page 20) takes us from the Hawaiian islands through the frozen fields of Saskatchewan to the lightning capital of the world in Southern Georgia to show there are countless ways to overcome one's environment and deploy FTTN. And on page 19 you will find that there is only one Mr. Bellweather.