Wireless plans for me equate to the EXACT same prices for plans which is company independent. At least they could make the collusion a bit more cheeky by having a $0.01 difference in price; they don't even bother to try. No - there is no competition anymore and the consumer loses to large corporations with the gov't in their pockets.

Comcast - same deal here. Ask for a non-mainstream plan and be prepared to be saddled with issues. Can't the menu system be changed based on the plan of choice - as if I like to be reminded of which channels I can't watch and what is on them but I'm more frustrated by having to continuously click buttons to get by them. Simple plan should = a simple menu system.

Simply put, if you try to get them out of your wallet then they'll make it difficult on you until you break and give in.

Here's what else is going on at the same time this Google-Verizon buddy-buddy deal is. Verizon has a major lawsuit against Google related to YouTube. It's mind-boggling that a company would happily work with another on a project while that other company actively tries to tear the throat out of the first through legal maneuvers.

Go_ogle corporate cheese cleaners and shills stop reading the reg.

Google, like all other large companies, is not your friend. The world is transitioning to where corporations have more power than than the nations they operate in.

Google provides a convenient method of searching the net, and some other nifty services, and in exchange, learns my surfing habits and interests, which they then create a profile of and sell to advertisers or other interested parties, like the DoD. The only reason they might limit that access to organs or front companies of countries like China, is because of the potential repercussions in their primary markets of North America and Europe.

The moment that someone else develops an algorithm that provides better search results, there will be a mass exodus, as what happened to Altavista and Yahoo. Customers, loyalties arefickle, unless you raise it to a spiritual experience, eh Steve?

Except in the way that an ananconda is to a puppy.

go_ogle is a SPY AGENCY. The search engine for lure makes a perfect self-funding cover for agencies that just coincidentally want the information that go_ogle gets.

go_ogle sells information about you to anyone who'll pay. But I doubt that visible operations are its only income. Widespread sources of income for no visible result, such as advertising, would provide great cover for laundering money, another need of spy agencies.

For all 5 people in Montana, are you really expecting a huge selection? You should be happy there are any providers there at all.

:)

btw - Alltel got bought out by Verizon I believe, so you have Verizon or Verizon.

Juan, the universe does not revolve around you, or where you live. In my area you can choose Verizon or Alltel. Really, no competition at all.

I stopped reading the reg because of all their "Google is causing the end of the world" articles. Is the Inq going the same way?

As for competition..
In my area, I can get Sprint, Verizon, At&T, T-Mobile and Cricket wireless access.
I have plenty of choice, and I can get unlimited internet from at least one of those carriers.

For landline services: Comcast or Qwest.
They have carved up the market between them and offer the same overblown hype, high prices and poor customer service.