When it comes to taking a stand, to publicly staking a position and putting one's professional reputation on the line, economists are notoriously risk averse. When it comes to success in the business world, bigger may be better, as there can be distinct benefits to corporate growth. Carefully planned, well-timed growth can allow a firm to improve both the cost and the quality of its service offerings. On the other hand, uncontrolled or poorly planned growth can do irreversible harm to a firm's business operations, and can place at risk those very factors that made the company successful in the first place.
Many telcos grow passively.
The population of their service area may grow as a nearby city's outlying suburbs extend farther and farther from the downtown hub. Or perhaps a new industry may relocate in the telco's area, bringing additional jobs and attracting new residents. But today, more than ever, there exist in the telco industry opportunities for strategically planned, active growth. Companies may purchase additional lines in, or near, their service areas. The main advantage to increased size, from an economist's perspective, is the ability to exploit economies of scale.