Harold and Becky..

So I am doing some research on the US landline telephone industry, and I come across this. All my research summarized in this one hilarious blog entry.

To provide some background -

ILECS are the few large dominant telecom companies in the US with established networks. They rule. CLECs are small low-priced regional players with spots of network here and there, which even they have trouble to find. The Wannabes. Now, the '96 Telecom Act in the US asks ILECs to provide long-distance fiber to CLECs at slashed rates to bring competition in the market, and end the monopoly of these giants. Everyone hates each other - CLECs say ILECs do not cooperate, charge more, and blah. ILECs say it is forced competition, against free market, and other blah. And in this scenario, here goes - Harold and Becky's Excellent Telephone Adventure. An excerpt -

Over time, I speak to two Verizon vice presidents and get a phone call from the President of Verizon Maryland. They assure me that the fault lies with the evil CLEC, which misfiled the order, gave them the wrong address, wrong time zone, and possibly, used magic to shift their tech to another dimension. However, they promise that, assuming Cavalier does not join forces with Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden (which, Verizon tells me, CLECs have been known to do), they will have a tech out on April 7.

A long, but equally rewarding read. If patience really pays, it's here.

And on a slightly different and thoughtful note, I think one can relate Project Managers to this -

I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food.

Yeah, Bruce.

~ Ankur.