November 17, 2004

The Blur of Telecommunications

USA Today headlines SBC to offer Net TV, phone service and writes SBC Communications (SBC), angling for a bigger piece of the broadband market, plans to start selling Internet-based phone service to consumers early next year and Internet-based TV service by the end of 2005.

The plan, expected to be announced Tuesday, is the latest salvo in what's fast becoming a high-stakes race between phone and cable-TV companies. Both are hoping to woo customers with a full menu of phone, data and video services.

"It's a game of chicken, to a certain extent," says Scott Helbing, SBC's senior vice president of consumer marketing. "Cable operators have been pushing to get into our bread-and-butter business, and now we're going to get into theirs."

This move by SBC and other telecommunication providers is only good for customers. As telephone companies offer more services and lower prices, cable companies will offer more services and lower prices.

Thanks to the Internet everyone wants to be and can be connected.

0 comments