You are arguing that the fact that local service now if getting shut down is because ATT was broken up 40 years ago? There is zero correlation between those two things. Really old phone switches and lack of customers is why they are shutting off local service, not because ATT is no longer the behemoth it was then.i can show you areas that now have no ability to use a cell phone for communication and as a result of the breakup, T has the legal ability to not only abandon phone service, but with a letter 3 months before, they can shut landline service off. Please tell me how this is good for these consumers.