Yesterday, after the Solicitor General's announcement, I said in a post below: "Now, wouldn't it be nice if Kevin Martin would join Michael Powell and Kathleen Abernathy to put the nail in the coffin of talk about continuing the unbundling litigation fight?"

Well, it is. And Commissioner Martin deserves credit for doing the right thing.

Maybe I'm too infected this week with Reagan's spirit of optimism, but, as I also said yesterday, perhaps we've reached a key turning point on the road to a much less regulatory communications environment. Inevitably, there will be some existing provider at some time that will exit the business and some provider at some time will increase a rate--and those opposed to any loosening of the regulatory grip will say "I told you so". Notwithstanding any such cries by those in favor of the regulatory status quo, I'm confident that consumers, overall, will benefit from the lower prices and innovative services that a freer marketplace will bring.