As you know I don't like long posts, but I'm in rant mode over this one, so please bare with me.
If you've ever lived in an apartment or condo complex, you might have run into the situation of the association only giving you the option of one cable company to go with. I've always though that is was a little unfair, and didn't give people the chance to choose which cable company they would like to go with. Well the FCC finally thought the same thing, and overturned the "exclusive contracts" that cable companies have enjoyed for decades.
FCC Chairman Kevin J Martin said “Exclusive contracts have been one of the most significant barriers to competition,” he also stated that cable rates have risen over 93% in the last decade. I'm not even sure if gas prices have risen that much in the last decade. So how does Comcast respond to the ruling? By stating that they may have to raise rates because it'll cost money to compete with other companies, and it will cost more to fight this ruling in court.
What?!
So they're going to raise rates because they can't continue to get over on people by locking them into using their company. They're going to raise rates because they will have to ADVERTISE more? That is the one of the dumbest things I've ever heard!!! Check this out from Techdirt:
“The following statement may be attributed to Sena Fitzmaurice, [Comcast] Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Government Relations: ‘Consumers in apartment buildings and condos across the nation received a blow today from the action taken by the FCC. The result of this decision is likely to be higher prices for services and years of litigation and uncertainty for consumers. The significant concessions building owners have been able to bargain for on behalf of their residents will be lost.’”
Hey Moron, for once the FCC did something that actually benefited the customer. Stop trying to make it sound like you're on our side. Oh and the FCC didn't deal us a blow, they freed us from having to deal with your continuous price raises. And if there is "likely to be higher prices for services and years of litigation" guess what, people finally have the choice to go to your competitor. Ya see, that's how it's supposed to work in this country.
Raise all the prices you want, people have a choice now!!!
Corporate Doublespeak: By Forcing Competition On The Market, We Will Need To Raise Prices [Techdirt via Crunchgear]
3 comments:
Nelson knows I live in a condo. What he says is also true in my case.
What pisses me off is that my neighborhood covenant precludes me from having a satellite dish, or even to have additional outlets to be added into my own house. My cable company won't touch my place with a ten foot pole. If I want anything, i have to drill through a wall, put a slitter on a line and then be limited to only basic cable on the split off signal.
Man, what ever happened to liberty?
You may have a case against your condo association if they are prohibiting satellite dishes. Our association rules out dishes larger than... I dunno what the size limit is but most of them are smaller than that anyway.
As prezudint of a homeowners assoc, I know what our rules are and it seems that they should not be able to prevent you from engaging in commerce with a carrier of your choice.
That being said, they own the outside of your building. Almost sounds more like a rental than a condo.
My trouble is I live in a condo plan that's population consists of at least 70% retirees. Every bi-monthly newsletter has at least one mention of a condo owner passing on. Old folk hate Dishes and the like; they find it ugly I've found.
It must be said however that I enjoy living here from the standpoint of it's a quiet neighborhood. Occasionally you might here an old voice shouting "King Me!".
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