Comcast and TWC still trying to stifle any potential competitors

[Indy Texas]

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/aug/29/us-telecoms-fcc-block-high-speed-internet-chattanooga

Are there seriously still people on this forum who think we don't need limits on political contributions?

[dead0man]

Cable companies are horrible.  Not as bad as insurance companies, but freaking close.  Banks, trial lawyers, used car salesmen and debt collection agencies are better than either.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

This merger would give the combined Comcast and TWC about 66% of the cable Internet market. Comcast needs more competition, not less.

[dead0man]

I know some hate Google for being too "big", but really, Google Fiber can't get here soon enough.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I have Cox Cable in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.  The more isolated cities and towns in Oklahoma have Sudden Link Cable.  I like Cox more than I liked Comcast, which I had in Utah.  I would hate to see Cox get buried by this potential merger.

[dead0man]

I've got Cox right now too, and they might not suck as much as Comcast, they still suck.  A lot.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Local internet cooperative ftw

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

I have Comcast. Complete f[inks]ing racket.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I have Comcast. Complete f[inks]ing racket.

Since I live on the coast (actually, right along the Intracoastal near an inlet), we get a lot of wind that makes having a dish impossible. So far, being stuck with Comcast hasn't been all that bad, though everyone else I know who has Comcast seems to hate it.

[Indy Texas]

I have Comcast. Complete f[inks]ing racket.

Since I live on the coast (actually, right along the Intracoastal near an inlet), we get a lot of wind that makes having a dish impossible. So far, being stuck with Comcast hasn't been all that bad, though everyone else I know who has Comcast seems to hate it.

You're not old enough to have to do things like cancel or change your cable contract or schedule and wait for a technician when there's a problem.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I have Comcast. Complete f[inks]ing racket.

Since I live on the coast (actually, right along the Intracoastal near an inlet), we get a lot of wind that makes having a dish impossible. So far, being stuck with Comcast hasn't been all that bad, though everyone else I know who has Comcast seems to hate it.

You're not old enough to have to do things like cancel or change your cable contract or schedule and wait for a technician when there's a problem.

Over the summer, I was delegated to wait for the cable technician as my parents had more pressing things to deal with. I waited four hours, which was horrible, but when you live in a county with 1.3 million people (with a plurality using Comcast, most likely. Is there anyway I can find this out by the way? I'd be interested to know), you are going to have to expect such issues.

I can imagine being rather angry with such poor service if I lived in a smaller county, however.

[they don't love you like i love you]

I have CenturyLink. No problems.

[Ebowed]

USTelecom's hilarious suggestion that states ban local municipalities from establishing publicly owned broadband providers out of concern for the 'taxpayers' makes a lot of sense, as those taxpayers would then not be sending all of their money to Comcast, rather than receiving a superior service.  Comcast will always look out for its customers, er, the 'taxpayers.'  Maybe not look after, but definitely look out.

[Indy Texas]

I have Comcast. Complete f[inks]ing racket.

Since I live on the coast (actually, right along the Intracoastal near an inlet), we get a lot of wind that makes having a dish impossible. So far, being stuck with Comcast hasn't been all that bad, though everyone else I know who has Comcast seems to hate it.

You're not old enough to have to do things like cancel or change your cable contract or schedule and wait for a technician when there's a problem.

Over the summer, I was delegated to wait for the cable technician as my parents had more pressing things to deal with. I waited four hours, which was horrible, but when you live in a county with 1.3 million people (with a plurality using Comcast, most likely. Is there anyway I can find this out by the way? I'd be interested to know), you are going to have to expect such issues.

I can imagine being rather angry with such poor service if I lived in a smaller county, however.

Odd, because I don't think I have to expect it at all. I'd expect Comcast to...oh I don't know...hire more technicians to adequately meet the large number of customers.

[Goldwater]

I have Comcast. Complete f[inks]ing racket.

For once, I completely agree with Snowstalker.

[pbrower2a]

The entire cable business is thoroughly corrupt. It's almost as if the Mob owns it.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Odd, because I don't think I have to expect it at all. I'd expect Comcast to...oh I don't know...hire more technicians to adequately meet the large number of customers.

Well, as it turns out, Comcast kinda figured out that when it's the only business doing service in an area that it can pretty much get away with having the worst service possible. Because what are you going to do, switch to someone else? LOL, no, you literally can't.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Odd, because I don't think I have to expect it at all. I'd expect Comcast to...oh I don't know...hire more technicians to adequately meet the large number of customers.

Well, as it turns out, Comcast kinda figured out that when it's the only business doing service in an area that it can pretty much get away with having the worst service possible. Because what are you going to do, switch to someone else? LOL, no, you literally can't.

The 1996 deregulation is an epic HP bill. And since her husband signed it, yet another reason to oppose Hillary.

[pbrower2a]

Odd, because I don't think I have to expect it at all. I'd expect Comcast to...oh I don't know...hire more technicians to adequately meet the large number of customers.

Well, as it turns out, Comcast kinda figured out that when it's the only business doing service in an area that it can pretty much get away with having the worst service possible. Because what are you going to do, switch to someone else? LOL, no, you literally can't.

The 1996 deregulation is an epic HP bill. And since her husband signed it, yet another reason to oppose Hillary.

The cable companies made some wild promises of technological progress in supplying high-quality entertainment in return for acquiescence for monopolization of the market. We got more channels, all right, but also far-higher prices. We also made suppliers of entertainment effective monopolists.

Really, most of us would be better off with six or so broadcast channels with some free subchannels, with live sports having to compete with feature films for attention. Considering what Retro, Antenna TV, this TV, etc. offer on the 'free TV' model, such may have been a better model.   

Part of the problem is that near-monopolists induce monopolistic gouging from suppliers who have no outlets other than the monopolies.

Monopolists always promise great things, including hastened progress, so long as they get  extraordinary profits. They invariably disappoint by creating shortages that they milk indefinitely.