zdch: The Bell Labs gains may not exist without the Bell monopoly
zdch · x · 2026-09-14
zdch pushed back on Neil Chilson in the monopoly-vs-competition debate: the Bell Labs gains may not have existed without the monopoly, and decades after the breakup the industry's prices and service look notoriously bad. He compared AOL's closed decade to a tolerable monopoly and clarified he isn't advocating perpetuating Bell—just that the realized total benefits worked out well.
Related event: Bell Labs Breakup Debate: Does Monopoly Drive or Stifle Innovation(5 posts)→
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