said by bicker :

They are no more greedy than you are -- than any of us are. And they're required to operate the way they operate.

I also don't hate or love Comcast. I only care about reality. I actually have a choice here. I can choose between three different subscription television providers, and my neighbors even have four choices. And Comcast is still the best option for us. Not because I like Comcast, but just because they happen to have the best offerings.

said by bicker :

And indeed they're doing what they're supposed to be doing: Maximizing long-term shareholder value. Doing anything else would open their management up to shareholder lawsuits.

If you don't want to live in a capitalist country, move. Barring that, don't rag on businesses doing what they're obligated by law to do.

said by NHTracker :

First off, yes, it is ridiculous that Comcast is doing this. Why should I pay a premium to see a human being in the flesh? Doing things online works well when it works, and when it doesn't the clueless folks in the call center are not much better. Sometimes it really helps to be able to explain things face to face with someone.

Second, don't give me that crap about poor people being poor because of mismanagement. You my friend have obviously never been piss poor so you are having a difficult time relating. Do you know what it's like to be poor and have your car break down? Now your out of money and have nothing to eat, so you write a check for $10 worth of food and pray that it doesn't clear before pay day. Woops, you forgot that banks are able to almost instantaneously post checks nowadays! At least back in the day you could write one on Wednesday and feel confident that it wouldn't clear until Friday. Yet what blows my mind is your bank can turn around and put a 5 day hold on your PAYROLL check. So they can almost instantly post your $10 check for groceries, yet they can't with your paycheck? BullS&%*! So now your $40 in the hole for your $10 check when you include the ISF fee. These fees only continue to hurt the people who can afford it the least. Do you honestly think these fees would ever even apply to the people who are well off? Of course not, they actually have money to budget!

Third, I am sorry but last time I checked Comcast, much like many other companies charging these fees nowadays, are not even remotely being hurt by the minimum wage salary of the people taking payments. The fact is these companies are charging them because they are GREEDY and simply just because they can. More and more big businesses like Comcast, BofA, etc., are sticking it to the poor people and senior citizens because they have absolutely no moral fabric. Anyone remember Enron? GEEZ!