While I certainly welcome input on the broader topic, I turn to you to recommend sources to help me understand what effect, if any, the 1984 divestiture of AT&T may have had on the development of American college and university campus computer networks and telecommunications, particularly computer networks installed in residence halls. From primary and secondary sources, I already know that some institutions (the pioneers, as far as I can tell) began installing and experimenting with in-room network connections in the mid 80s. So the timing is right
Great topic! There were ghetto/private/totally-unauthorized networks running in the dorms at my undergrad institution a full decade (plus some...) before the dorms were formally wired by the university. RG-58 coax running down exterior drainpipes, through windows, et cetera. This stuff has been going on for ages. :-) There was some history of private CATV wiring on the same campus, also done somewhat independently... --elijah