But short term, the benefits accrue mostly to the carrier. So much for seamless. One-stop shopping is a laudable goal, but telecom networks, billing systems and customer service infrastructures are as easy to piece together as shattered crystal. What customers should be getting are some benefits. But what is really occurring is more complexity.
Complexity breeds distraction among carrier personnel, as well as customer unrest.
Almost 40 percent of telecom execs surveyed by InternetWeek say their carrier's merger has made it more likely they'll switch to another provider. Entertainment, a former MCI customer, switched his company's leased-line service to Pacific Bell when MCI joined with WorldCom last year. I haven't seen any benefit. When companies merge, they shift resources, and unless it is managed carefully, customers' concerns can be ignored. Mergers among other IT suppliers aren't perfect either, but they promise tangible customer benefits more readily.