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Comments on news posted 2007-02-06 08:36:13: Montgomery County resident JTRockville writes in: "Comcast was fined $12,281.84 for not answering the phone quickly enough from September through November. This is the 2nd fine issued for non-compliance with customer service standards during 2006. ..


inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

1 recommendation

inteller

Member

that is awesome

This is why I like cable franchise agreements. another reason telcos shouldnt get state franchise agreements. DO yo uthink the state would ever do something like this? No way.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

Re: that is awesome

said by inteller:

This is why I like cable franchise agreements. another reason telcos shouldnt get state franchise agreements. DO yo uthink the state would ever do something like this? No way.
Which is another reason I am against statewide franchise agreements. But try and convince the fan boys here on BBR of that.

nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA

nixen

Premium Member

Re: that is awesome

said by ropeguru:
said by inteller:

This is why I like cable franchise agreements. another reason telcos shouldnt get state franchise agreements. DO yo uthink the state would ever do something like this? No way.
Which is another reason I am against statewide franchise agreements. But try and convince the fan boys here on BBR of that.
Most of the fanbois have (or think they have) an interest in allowing those enterprises to run unaccountably (or, at least, unaccountably in a manner that benefits the fanbois).

-tom

kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL

kyramilan to inteller

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to inteller
That's akin to fining Exxon-Mobil $12 million when they just posted $36 BILLION in profits!

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

jester121

Premium Member

Re: that is awesome

No, it's akin to fining Exxon Mobil about $180,000 (if you want to use profit dollars as the comparison).

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc to inteller

to inteller
$12 grand? Comcast saves at least that much by not having proper CSR staffing. They come out ahead with fines that low.

If that's all they can do then the franchise agreement is worthless. Put another zero behind that fine and then we'll start praising it. This is the same crap the telephone companies tried to get away with back in the early 90's and paid dearly for it once the state utility regulators grew some balls. These local cable commissions were neutered in 1996.

DataDoc
My avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.
Premium Member
join:2000-05-14
Hedgesville, WV
·StarLink
·HughesNet

DataDoc

Premium Member

Re: that is awesome

said by RadioDoc:

$12 grand? Comcast saves at least that much by not having proper CSR staffing...
The day they lied to me and said they had no record of my calls earlier that morning was the day I got DirecTV. I had been reporting bad reception that seemed weather related (it was Fall, and pic was good during day, got worse as night, as temps fell) and even taped an hour's worth of various channels to show their repairman, who would only come out during the day.

The fine should be a THOUSAND times as much, IMHO.
realpro2
join:2007-02-02
Cabin John, MD

realpro2 to RadioDoc

Member

to RadioDoc
Well, one of my friends used to work for NYNEX (when it existed ), and he told me that they did the math, and every year were happy to be fined by NY state for customer "abuse". It was much cheaper then fixing their customer support. And the sums were in the millions... Same story, different time & place.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: that is awesome

Yeah, Ameritech under Dick Notebaert did the same thing here in the early 90's, and really gooned SBC when they found out how bad things were. By then he was off to ruin Qwest...

kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL

kyramilan to inteller

Member

to inteller
Calling Comcast...

Press 1 for English, Press 2 for Spanish

1

Press 1 for automated billing, Press 2 for PPV Ordering, Press 3 for PPV Line-Up, Press 4 for Special Offers, Press 5 if your Bill is Past Due, Press 6 for FAQ Billing Questions, Press 7 for Directory Assistance, Press 8 for FAQ on HSI, Press 9 to sign-up for automatic billpay, Press 11 for Channel Line-Up, Press 12 for Repair, Press * for Customer Service
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: that is awesome

Let me correct you.

1 for english .. then other languages.

then it's 1 for residential or 2 for business

Trouble, 1, Add or change, 2, Billing 3
Cable tv 1, HSI 2, phone, 3.

If you are going to add to the discussion, at least be honest about it.

I believe the same thing you guys are ranting about happens when you call your phone company, credit card company, electric company - hell.. call the DMV sometime and see how long you wait.

So what if you waited 2 minutes... why is cable the only one that has these standards? When you can ask yourself that and answer honestly, then let's have a discussion.

The last time I called Qwest, I was on hold for 15 minutes. Where is there fine?

Since the state, city, and counties can't answer their phone in a decent about of time, I hardly find them in any position to regulate a private industry with such strict requirements of 30 seconds to a live operator including call routing time.

This has NOTHING to do with fanbois (as you guys love to term) it has to do with common sense.

halfband
Premium Member
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL

halfband

Premium Member

Re: that is awesome

said by fiberguy2:

So what if you waited 2 minutes... why is cable the only one that has these standards? When you can ask yourself that and answer honestly, then let's have a discussion.
In general you have a valid point but in this case the comcast area around Rockville, MD was screwed up to legendary proportions. This is absolutely one case where the industry brought this upon themselves when they would not provide reasonable service until the local government stepped in. The pictures posted a few years back by JT and some of the other comcast forum members of parts of the local cable plant documented a system that was running out of control. Holding Comcast, RCN and now Verizons feet to the fire is a reaction to past treatment.

dispatcher21
911 Where is your emergency?
join:2004-01-22
united state

dispatcher21 to fiberguy2

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to fiberguy2
A couple of years ago, Qwest was fiend for this here in Washington state. Got a credit on my bill. Its all up to the state PUC/local agreements in place.
nolesch
join:2006-05-16
Paducah, KY

nolesch to kyramilan

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Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish.

What about 3 for Italian, 4 for German.

Isn't that a little unfair to the rest of those that still can't speak English in our own country?

magicjimmy
join:2006-03-23
Tucson, AZ

magicjimmy

Member

Re: that is awesome

said by nolesch:

Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish.

What about 3 for Italian, 4 for German.

Isn't that a little unfair to the rest of those that still can't speak English in our own country?
Would you move to Italy and expect them to cater to you just because you can't speak Italian?
realpro2
join:2007-02-02
Cabin John, MD

1 recommendation

realpro2 to nolesch

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to nolesch
Well, that is a totally different soap box we are about to climb on -- but since I came here from a non-English speaking country, I feel I have the right to comment on the subject: I feel very strongly that we should NOT make exception for non-English speaking *citizens*. This "let them speak whatever" will destroy the fabric of what makes the US a union. There are stores that answer the phone in Spanish (yes, there are places around here that do that.) and I will not deal with them. And so on, and so on...

Go ahead, start the flame thrower -- I already put on the flame retardant suit )

phattieg
join:2001-04-29
Winter Park, FL

phattieg to inteller

Member

to inteller
said by inteller:

This is why I like cable franchise agreements. another reason telcos shouldnt get state franchise agreements. DO yo uthink the state would ever do something like this? No way.
Agree'd, and I work for Comcast, but fair is fair, you agree to do something, and don't do it, then there's a fine. Glad they're not part of my region, because here, there is not much slack given for not meeting NTCA standards.

LeftOfSanity
People Suck.
join:2005-11-06
Dover, DE

1 recommendation

LeftOfSanity

Member

Wow.

Ol' JT. I guess everyone needs a hobby.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: Wow.

I appreciate the posting. This is not exactly a hobby for some people.

And this whole saga goes to show that the "local franchises are necessary to ensure good customer service" argument just doesn't hold true.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

1 recommendation

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

I think it shows just the opposite. If the hands of the LFA weren't tied, they could impose meaningful consequences on meaningful metrics. But this is the only remedy the law allows (which isn't very effective).

Certainly competition is a better remedy - one which Montgomery County MD residents are begining to enjoy as Verizon continues deploying fiber.

Did you notice the number of complaints received by the county about Verizon?

halfband
Premium Member
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL

1 edit

halfband

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

said by JTRockville:

Did you notice the number of complaints received by the county about Verizon?
Now if they only have 100 customers, that could be misleading . Getting FIOS must be like moving from the outhouse to the penthouse for many of the long suffering subscribers. Did you help them wire it? I know you were highly motivated.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

1 recommendation

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

I didn't help them wire it per se, but I did stalk follow the trucks around my 'hood with a camera, cheering, and shouting encouraging words, and begging for expediency.

Even though there are probably only 100 TV subscribers here, FiOS 'net has been available in some parts of the county for a few years - plenty of time to generate complaints (if there were any to be generated). But without exception, every single person I know who has FiOS speaks very highly of it.

TraumaJunkie
Premium Member
join:2004-03-05
Knoxville, TN

TraumaJunkie

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

Compare apples to apples...how many FIOS subs vs Comcast subs.. Bring both those numbers THEN get respect. Instead you bring skewed numbers that only serve your own agenda.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

1 edit

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

Comcast keeps the number of local subscribers as a tightly held secret. So does Verizon.

When filing the FCC 1205/1235/1240's, Comcast estimates subscribers based on system size, and apparently they don't do such a good job of it because the county's CPA had to make adjustments to the last filing.

If you have accurate subscriber counts, please enlighten us.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6 to JTRockville

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to JTRockville
said by JTRockville:

I think it shows just the opposite. If the hands of the LFA weren't tied, they could impose meaningful consequences on meaningful metrics. But this is the only remedy the law allows (which isn't very effective).

Certainly competition is a better remedy - one which Montgomery County MD residents are begining to enjoy as Verizon continues deploying fiber.

Did you notice the number of complaints received by the county about Verizon?
Your conclusion is based on a hypothesis (unproven if not disproven) that more regulation and remedies would result in better customer service. Let me point out some facts. 1) MoCo is one of the largest, richest, LFAs in the country. 2) MoCo has had some of the most extensive CaTV regulation in the country. 3) MoCo has had some of the worse CaTV customer service in the country. Those facts don't fit well with your hypothesis. The "if only the LFA could get more regulation, then it would work", just doesn't ring true to me.

Now what is a small 3,000 person town in PA with a part-time mayor supposed to do? Insist on multiple remedies for telephone response time? If the biggest and most active jurisdiction can't do it, what hope do they have? There are better things to bargain for in a franchise agreement than telephone answer times, that are fully permitted by the law, but the poor mayor is overmatched.

Competition is indeed the better remedy.

Verizon complaints are few. What's the point?

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

My point regarding Verizon's (lack of) complaints is: competition works better than regulation.

But I'm not sure how you've concluded that failed regulation based on meaningless metrics is iron-clad proof that all regulation is pointless. It seems to me that regulation is essential under monopolistic conditions, which is what we had in Montgomery County MD prior to Verizon's very recent fiber deployment.

So I'm not ready as you are to dismiss the concept of regulation, just because the meaningless metrics currently allowed by the FCC haven't been successful. But I do think towns should consider deploying municipal systems if they don't see any prospect for competition on the very near horizon.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: Wow.

MoCo style regulation is beyond the practical capabilities of 95% of the LFAs out there. Thus, to say that more regulation would work is not a viable option at least to those 95%. Extensive regulation also disincentivises(sp?) new competitors and so perpetuates the monopolistic conditions.

I don't dismiss regulation entirely, it's just that there is so much bad regulation out there the likelihood of an LFA getting it right is low.

I do think muni or at least a solid bb strategy is preferable to trying to squeeze good service out of most CaTV companies.

btw, thanks again for submitting some solid material.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

said by SD6:

I do think muni or at least a solid bb strategy is preferable to trying to squeeze good service out of most CaTV companies.
Well on that we can agree. btw - did you catch the "eight steps" in this morning's broadband bytes? I think Baller is always a good read:
»Morning Broadband Bytes
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: Wow.

Not much of substance there. When the steps are something like enact legislation, form a blue ribbon commission, study the problem, enact legislation, ..., I skim through pretty quickly. Political stuff doesn't interest me much.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Wow.

Well, I haven't seen a more substantial US bb strategy (or any US strategy). I think it's a good place to start albeit late.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: Wow.

I think the California Task Force has more of a sense of what they are going to do.

•••
mglunt
join:2001-09-10
Fredericksburg, VA

1 edit

mglunt

Member

Wow! 12K!

That will show that multi-billion dollar company!

Too bad it would cost them more to hire additional help than it would to just continue to pay the fines.

Thank God FIOS came in right after our area made the switch from Adelphia to Comcrap.

•••

Titus
Mr Gradenko
join:2004-06-26

1 recommendation

Titus

Member

[OT] No surprise

Click for full size
WOW!
on them not picking up the phone or the measly fine. I've family very close to Rockville, and while talking about their bill going up again the subject of how long it takes to get something done over the phone came up -- once you do get someone -- and it sounded like a nightmare

In Comcast's defense, however, they may have jumped on this spectacular deal at the local Sta_les for Vista-equipped notebooks.

Is that Aero?

••••••••

tscallions
join:2003-03-05
Memphis, TN

tscallions

Member

No Answer In Memphis, TN.

They need to do this in the Memphis area. Bill was due on January 26th and was about $100 more than the regular bill. I've been trying to call customer service since then and every time I get the same "we are too busy to answer the phone at this time. please try again later" message!

••••••••••
LostMile
Premium Member
join:2002-06-07
Coloma, MI

1 recommendation

LostMile

Premium Member

Inquiring minds want ot know...

If someone reported a pothole on a Montgomery County street, how long would it take for a county employee to answer the call? How long to actually get out and fix the pothole?

•••

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

JTRockville

Premium Member

When will the county address safety code violations?

Anyone know why Comcast gets a free pass for non-compliance on safety codes? It seems to me that Comcast's pattern of substantial non-compliance with safety codes is a more urgent matter than how long it takes to answer the phone.
caco
Premium Member
join:2005-03-10
Whittier, AK

caco

Premium Member

Re: When will the county address safety code violations?

Substantial non-compliance with safety codes ? Any back up or links to this?

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

1 edit

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: When will the county address safety code violations?

Yes, for the most recent inspection report, follow the link in the topic behind "$12,281.84". If you'd like links to past inspection reports let me know. A report is posted on the county's website for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters every year going back to (I think) 2001. Some 1st quarter reports are posted, but sometimes they're skipped because the budget consumes all the council's time and effort.
axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC

1 recommendation

axus

Member

Ironically PG County next door gets better service

Prince Georges county is the ghetto neighbor of rich Montgomery County, and yet Comcast provides better service and internet performance here. Some Maryland counties have great service, others are terrible. Somebody at Comcast should be fired, it's obviously some screwed up management over in Montgomery.

RideRed
Vista needs a popup blocker for Vista
Premium Member
join:2005-06-18
USA

RideRed

Premium Member

$12K + bad PR to be used by competitors

$12K isn't much but put thatnews in the hands of local telco and other competitors touting Comcast's service being so bad they're being fined and it can do more damage than even a $1M fine could.

brooklynman4
join:2004-09-07
Brewster, NY

brooklynman4

Member

Re: $12K + bad PR to be used by competitors

Ah let the phone phone after this poker game ill get to it lol
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

thats change you find on street

12K????????

Thats 1 cent for Comcast! How about fines in % of top line yearly revenue?

••••

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Just where

Do you think that $12,281.84 is going to come from? NOT out of comcasts pockets. it'll filter down into YOUR BILL!
-
WHEN will people get it that you cant sue a service provider that you pay and win? even when you 'win' you lose in the form of more BS fees to recover such fines.

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

JTRockville

Premium Member

Re: Just where

It won't come out of the pocket of those of us who've already ditched Comcast. But yes, Comcast did just announce an 8.2% price increase in Montgomery County MD. Perhaps they'll label it "Government Compliance Fee"?
dariena
join:2005-04-24
Germantown, MD

dariena

Member

Come on Fios TV

God, Fios TV can't get in to Germantown, MD fast enough!

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

lol

Our hard tax dollars at work here.

Fine when i call the F****** state about something they could instantly pick the phone up before i fined them. please.
DSL Oberst
join:2001-11-29

DSL Oberst

Member

Call Metric Hell

I definitely agree that the community should have more options in regards to getting better customer service. Sadly, any fines in this regard will merely cause Comcast to implement harsher call metrics, i.e.:

Supe: "You will complete all calls within an average of 4 minutes, 30 seconds to achieve call metrics.

Rep: "Ummmm...what about actual fixes? Our current processes take longer than that."

Supe: "You'll just have to find a way to make them shorter. Disciplinary action will be issued against those who are unable to achieve the numbers."

*shrugs* A municipality gives fines and management will simply pass it off onto the reps. No win situation either way.