BT was far worse when they had a monopoly I get my telephone from the Gas Company, these days, and my electricty, too - getting all three from one company gives me various savings on top of their cheaper rates.

The railways certainly have gone downwards, so far as service is concerned. Fares are no dearer than when they were nationalized, but the service was much better. trains, more or less ran on time, then, and to where you wanted them to go, not just on the routes that make big profits.