"The Phone Company": An Unknown Villain

I have been watching television for years, not constantly, but usually a few hours of each day.  This would imply that I have seen quite a few commercials in my time.  I have noticed a recent trend among telecommunications companies and their bashing of "the phone company".  Who is this mysterious bandit stealing our hard earned money by charging too much for local and long distance calls?  That's the problem...the commercials never say.  

Start to pay attention to these commercials.  Comcast just had a commercial on saying how their services were cheaper and more reliable than "the phone company".  Vonage has basically the same commercial, and so do AT&T and BellSouth.  These are all phone companies, and if they are not the culprits, then who is "the phone company" they are all speaking of.  This is now the new reason I am boycotting the use of landline phones in my home, other than the fact that it is pointless now that everyone has cellular phones with plans that are reasonable for everyday use.  So, just start to notice commercials that advertise home phone service.  And for god's sake...give "the phone company" a break.