CLECs were supposed to reinvigorate the telecommunications market. Ah, cruel reality. The promise of CLEC-driven telco nirvana now lies in the economic scrap heap. Except for a few healthy CLECs, the white knights have disappeared. Companies [may choose to] take matters into their own hands.

Sounds like another step in the direction of "asset-based telecom", as described in the Cook Report. Canada is ahead of the US in this department, so look there for early signs.

Getting past the telecom mess