Additionally, more and more Internet service providers are sprouting up to compete for your Internet business, and more wireless carriers are moving in to compete for local exchange customers. Even municipalities are finding financing to build networks that carry data and voice traffic away from your bottom line. The writing is on the wall. You have to be a competitor to beat a competitor. Don't get me wrong.
Some competition certainly is healthy.
But I wish the best outcome for our membership, not for RadioShack or Western Wireless. One of NTCA' s strengths, I believe, is how our membership shares its triumphs and its disappointments so that we can learn from one another. This collaborative spirit, regardless of whether you are a cooperative or commercial business, has contributed greatly to the success of the local, independent telephone industry. I hope we do not lose this solidarity in tomorrow's competitive world. Communication and networking can be valuable tools in a competitive environment.