AT&T will be dissolved in http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r6116244 en Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:50:52 EDT Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:50:52 EDT Re: AT&T will be dissolved http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6129147 BrianDamage : Let me detail some history here.
AT&T Corp. will never go away. One reason the name along is the best known WORLD WIDE in telecom.
AT&T is not the same company it was prior to divestiture. Yes, the name is well known, but that is based on what people remember before the breakup. It is like calling a cotton swab a "Q-Tip" or a finger bandage a "Band-Aid"...it is what people remember, but not entirely accurate representation of the truth. They are proper names, that are easily remembered and referenced in a conversation.
AT&T has the power to reach every telephone in the world, no one else can claim that.
So could Worldcom or many other phone companies that offer local service. One does not have to own all the facilities globally in order to get a call through to anywhere in the world.
AT&T is the only company that has the ability to replace, within 24 hours with mobile trucks and swtiches, an entire central office, as they did for the first time in their entire history on 9-11.
That was Verizon that did that, not AT&T. Additionally, the former company that was the incumbent prior to merger upon merger was Nynex. They hadn't been AT&T since divestiture, which was 1984.
Nice AT&T plug, though, but AT&T is a shadow of it's former self, and continues the name recognition based on the 125 year long legacy of the phone business. That doesn't make the popular perception these days accurate, though.
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The rich get richer, the poorer get the picture, the bombs never hit you when yer down so low...some got pollution, others evolution, there must be some solution but I just don't know.... briandamage@dslr.net]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6129147 Thu, 27 Feb 2003 12:11:27 EDT Re: AT&T will be dissolved http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6127847 anon : AT&T Corp. will never go away. One reason the name along is the best known WORLD WIDE in telecom. Two, only AT&T has the power to reach every telephone in the world, no one else can claim that. Three, AT&T's network is not just the world's largest telecom network, but it is also one of the world's largest IP network. Four, AT&T is the only company that has the ability to replace, within 24 hours with mobile trucks and swtiches, an entire central office, as they did for the first time in their entire history on 9-11. Time and time again, AT&T has changed and moved on, granted this time i think they were really screwed over by Armstrong, I know they will still go on to lead the industry. AT&T may appear to be just a phone company, but in reality the are one of the most trust, and with good reason, communications providers.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6127847 Thu, 27 Feb 2003 09:26:19 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6126430 DrTCP :
said by Mike See Profile:
Does the FCC policy of 30 days termination notice mean anything? Or was that a loophole?
FCC had no enforcement on AT&T since they were not AT&T customers. Remember FCC bought only the equipment very much you buy equipment at Ebay but in this case seller said come and pick up the equipment (no shipping)

FCC could try to enforce it on Northpoint but I doubt bankrupt Northpoint having sold its equipment could do anything to satisfy that. You cannot kill dead twice.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6126430 Thu, 27 Feb 2003 01:50:24 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6125750 BrianDamage : Theoretically, yes, if the sale of the assets releases them from obligation to the contracts they have signed.
But, there is a problem.
I am familiar with Northpoint's lineups.
In the COs, a lot of times, Northpoint's lineups were right next to ours (I worked for both Covad and Ryhthms at different times), and NP had primarily the Copper Mountain platform in use, which at Rhythms, we had also, in addition to Paradyne and Cisco equipment.
As such, I am familiar with all of that equipment.
The thing is, the NP DSLAMs have sat there for so long now that before they could be relit for any useful purpose, they would need to be upgraded.
That is going to be a very expensive proposition, albeit a good one for Copper Mountain. I am sure those guys could use the sales.
Not beyond the realm of possibility, mind you, but an expensive proposition.
How ready they are to do that is questionable.
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The rich get richer, the poorer get the picture, the bombs never hit you when yer down so low...some got pollution, others evolution, there must be some solution but I just don't know.... briandamage@dslr.net]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6125750 Thu, 27 Feb 2003 00:05:08 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6118427 KoolMoe : SO now with ATT Broadband sold off, they can start relighting all the Northpoint DSLAMs and such, and contract Covad for the areas that NPT equipment doesn't cover...
Right?
KM]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6118427 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 13:10:36 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117898 Mike : Does the FCC policy of 30 days termination notice mean anything? Or was that a loophole?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117898 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 12:13:24 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117834 BrianDamage : Wrong. ATT did buy Northpoint's assets, DSLAMs and all, but you are correct when you stated that ATT ws not entitled to NP's subscriber base.
The plan was to let the network go dark, relinquish all the network circuits, and then turn them all back up using their own facilities as much as they could and then relight the network.
The problem was, ATT did not realize prior to their actual purchase of NP that their contracts with the cable providers PROHIBITED them from providing other broadband type services, DSL specifically.
Somebody missed the fine print, and in their zeal, paid the 155 mil not fully realizing until after the fact that the entire DSL network in place would be unusable by them, because of agreements and contracts already in place.
I know this because a manager from ATT's then newly created DSL unit contacted me about a position, and we discussed this fact in detail.
At that time, they were still attempting to get past the legal ramifications of the purchase, but it turned out that they never could overcome that, and I had a feeling that such would be the way.
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The rich get richer, the poorer get the picture, the bombs never hit you when yer down so low...some got pollution, others evolution, there must be some solution but I just don't know.... briandamage@dslr.net]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117834 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 12:07:20 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117645 anon : "I don't know about that. "Chainsaw Al" destroyed Sunbeam with shady accounting practices like stuffing the pipline with inventory and booking sales months in advance of actually delivering the merchandise."

Can you say "Q W E S T"??

Sounds quite similar to what most telecoms did over the last 5 years with line swapping.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117645 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 11:43:25 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117138 DrTCP :
said by Mike See Profile:
AT&T bought Northpoint and turned it into the ground face first. They illegally kicked off 'a few' thousands subscribers overnight and got away with it.
Mike, as far as I remember AT&T only bought the assets of Northpoint. The customers was belonging to Northpoint till the very end and if someone has cut off the customers' service it was Northpoint itself by selling all its equipment by auction. AT&T had no obligation to provide free service to anyone.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117138 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 10:46:34 EDT Re: AT&T will be dissolved http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117014 KoolMoe : I disagree that they're irrelevant - they have a huge phone switching system. However, they may be made irrelevant if they don't keep on top of VOIP.
If AT&T is focusing on local service, then partnering with Covad would make good sense so they can offer DSL with their POTS service.

And DEC may have sold off the 'crown jewels', but they retained a LOT of intellectual property and patents (the Alpha being a big one), which did make them a fairly valuable company for Compaq to aquire...
Though I agree they overpaid.
I also agree AT&T's future is cloudy, but don't think it's as doomed as you postulate...
KM]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6117014 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 10:30:36 EDT AT&T will be dissolved http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6116244 richb01803 :
said by airhockey See Profile:
The problem is ATT has only non profitable divisions left. They sold the only one that has been making them money ATT Broadband.
Sounds just like Digital Equipment Corporation circa 10 years ago. The hard drive group went to Quantum, the networking group went to Cisco, the chip-fab went to Intel.

The core group left was something they'd now call "professional services". Seems like every company thinks there are huge profits to be made in consulting.

But that only works if you've got the consultants attached to complicated proprietary technology that you can lock customers onto an upgrade treadmill. The folks at Compaq only figured that out after blowing a huge wad of money buying up the gutted shell of DEC, minus its crown jewels.

I guess management at most companies, when faced with a dire cash crunch, will sell off the crown jewels one at a time rather than enter bankruptcy. Of late, though, it's becoming evident that those who have tried bankruptcy on for size are keeping their firms intact, perhaps to live another day.

AT&T has nothing left. They are as relevant today as DEC was in 1995. Doesn't take a crystal ball to see what's in store for them: absorption into some other phone company.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6116244 Wed, 26 Feb 2003 08:29:29 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6114145 Jim Gurd :
said by pnh102 See Profile:

AT&T really needs to take an "Al Dunlap" approach to saving its skin... kill all the non-profitable divisions... or else.


I don't know about that. "Chainsaw Al" destroyed Sunbeam with shady accounting practices like stuffing the pipline with inventory and booking sales months in advance of actually delivering the merchandise.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6114145 Tue, 25 Feb 2003 23:29:06 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6113160 airhockey : The problem is ATT has only non profitable divisions left. They sold the only one that has been making them money ATT Broadband.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6113160 Tue, 25 Feb 2003 22:07:26 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6111682 pnh102 :
said by cmaenginsb See Profile:
The bankruptcy court auctioned off the assets piecemeal. AT&T ended up with the DSLAMs and other equipment but not the right to continue to service on the lines.

That's still very stupid of AT&T... how long would it have taken for them to check to see if they could legally run service on the lines they got from Northpoint? Surely it would have involved less cost than buying the assets and finding out they got a bunch of expensive paperweights instead.

AT&T really needs to take an "Al Dunlap" approach to saving its skin... kill all the non-profitable divisions... or else.
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DRM == Doesn't Read MP3s]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6111682 Tue, 25 Feb 2003 20:19:29 EDT Re: Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6111469 cmaenginsb : AT&T never had any rights to the Northpoint subscribers, nor did they actually buy Northpoint. The bankruptcy court auctioned off the assets piecemeal. AT&T ended up with the DSLAMs and other equipment but not the right to continue to service on the lines.

Do you really think they would have turned off the subs if it wasn't out of their control, I mean come on that's like free money. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6111469 Tue, 25 Feb 2003 20:03:19 EDT Another Northpoint http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6110850 Mike : AT&T bought Northpoint and turned it into the ground face first. They illegally kicked off 'a few' thousands subscribers overnight and got away with it.

I'm glad it turned sour for them.

There is always at least one idiot out there... that columnist is it.
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root sounds cooler than administrator anyhow
What this country needs is a good five dollar plasma weapon.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6110850 Tue, 25 Feb 2003 19:20:15 EDT