But together, along with other recent telecom failures and those still likely to occur, they represent one of the most spectacular investment debacles ever.
And while recent telecom consolidation has shrunk the number of major nationwide wireless carriers–such as Sprint's merger last year with Nextel today's phone buyers have myriad new choices for service, and there's something for everyone, from gamers to seniors.
Recent purchases: telecom-switch vendor CopperCom, bankrupt steelmaker Ivaco.
Although the U.S. telecom business has contracted in recent years, Russian telecom companies like Vimpelcom, Mobile Telesis and GLDN are experiencing rapid growth.
In fact it shouldn't seem all that unlikely: these things are already happening.In recent years the telecoms business has demonstrated that when deregulation and innovation, strong forces in their own right, come together, the results can be startling.
He was by far the most radical of Mexico's recent rulers privatising banks, telecoms and other industries, institutionalising open trade with the United States through NAFTA, ending land reform, decentralising power, loosening controls on the media.
In recent months the telecoms company, which operates landlines, has halved its workforce.In a rare press conference during Mr Harper's visit, Mr Préval likened his country to a "small sailboat" which is "likely to be damaged by a wind that is not too strong".
Vodafone AirTouch, for example, already accounts for some 11% of the FTSE 100 index; and investors may be deterred by the dismal performance of telecom shares in recent weeks.So the telecoms companies may have no other option than to reduce debt by selling assets, such as parts of their mobile-phone, cable or Internet operations.
In recent weeks France Telecom has written off euro10.2 billion ($9 billion), KPN of the Netherlands euro12.4 billion, and Deutsche Telekom euro15.2 billion.
Now Mr Obermann is under even greater pressure to expand abroad after Telefónica's recent investment in Telecom Italia, and he may try to buy France Télécom's mobile subsidiary in the Netherlands.Bring it onBut Mr Obermann's handling of the strike will be the greatest test of his leadership.
