Interesting Developments in the Cable / Telco world

Now that AT&T acquisition of BellSouth is complete and the dual ownership of Cingular has ended, AT&T has launched the first salvo AT&T Unity leveraging the combined services of the businesses. You can now get free calling from your cell phone to any AT&T land line.

Verizon has promptly responded with new packages:

• Verizon Double Freedom: Unlimited land line, 3Mbps Internet, DirectTV for about $70 per month
• Verizon Triple Freedom: Land line+Internet+(Wireless or TV) for about $100
• Verizon Ultimate Freedom: all 4 for about $140

Cable companies have been talking of delivering quadruple play services (land line phone + Cell phone + tv + internet) for a while:

• Comcast offers Digital Cable + Internet + phone at $99 per month in some markets
• Cablevision is pricing it at $90

I do not know of a Cable Company with a wireless offering. I assume T-Mobile and Sprint will be their partners in the endeavor and that things will move quickly.