[October 15, 2002]

"UNE-P is not real competition. It is simply a subsidy for companies like WorldCom and AT&T that is totally dependent on companies like SBC being able and willing to make all the capital investment and absorb all the profit margin pressure. True competition invests in facilities. True competition innovates and provides a differentiated product to customers. True competition cares about service. UNE-P is simply false competition. It relies on subsidies, invests nothing, builds nothing and ultimately hurts everyone's ability to raise capital and invest."

—Edward Whitacre, SBC Chairman and CEO
quoted in SBC Press release