After the Bell patents expired, thousands of independent operators became incorporated and their competition for services to middle and low-class households as well as rural farmers drove prices down significantly.
ベルの特許が切れた後は、無数の独立オペレーターが参入し、中流階級や下層階級の家庭さらに田舎の農夫まで競争してサービスを開始し、利用料を著しく下げた。