BTW, if you spend much time with regulators and lawyers, you will be aware that there is a major difference between the cable network and the PSTN. After the mid-1930's, the PSTN was built by a company which was guaranteed a specific, profitable rate of return. The cable network was built by many small entrepreneurs who were not guaranteed a profit nor even solvency. For that reason, the PSTN is more arguably a public resource.
Except that most of today's cable systems were built while municipalities could, and did, grant exclusive franchises. Overbuilding an incumbant cable operator is as expensive and risky as becoming a CLEC - probably the reason that neither CLECs nor cable overbuilders are showing much commercial success.
If you can't tell the legal difference between the above cases, I recommend you stay out of this discussion.
As to "small entrepreneurs" - that may have once been true, but I wouldn't call AT&T/MediaOne/TCI, AOL/Time Warner, Adelphia, or Charter "small entrepreneurs." These guys engage in monopoly tactics that rank right up there with those of the ILECs.
1) You quoted me out of context. 2) Do you have a point? Obviously the above are not small entrepreneurs. But then, I never said they were. good luck, fletcher