Well, it is very difficult to predict what the RBOC's or others will do. I
think that the looming competition will keep the status quo. I think that if
ameritech succeeded in metering CSV ISDN lines, we might as well write off the
ISDN -- which may be alright if xDSL is available. In which case will a PRI be
of any use? If nothing else, the inertia of the RBOCs should mean that
designing and selling equipment for today's communication conditions will be
profitible.
(I think that IF ameritech thought it could, it would have metered CSV ISDN
when it set up the tarriff, but in michigan there is a very strong tradition
of unmetered voice communication and an active atorney general that will beat
on the public service commision if it wanted to approve such a change).
And --- so the PRI is unmetered, people calling in will want ISDN & if that is
metered, they'll move cable modems -- so you might claim that livingston
bringing out a PRI connection is foolish because people will soon not be using
either analog modems or ISDN connecitions...
In other words ... who knows what things will be like next year ...??