 
inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK
 ·Cingular Wireless
| 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.
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"WHEN THE LAUGH TRACK STARTS THEN THE FUN STARTS!" | |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Hollywood, FL
clubs:
| 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.
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FWD#: 223611 | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
 ·Cox HSI
 ·Speakeasy
| 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
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"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding." -Louis D Brandeis | |
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kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL | That's akin to fining Exxon-Mobil $12 million when they just posted $36 BILLION in profits!  | |
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| | jester121
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL | 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).  | |
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RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| $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.
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Toolmaster of La Grange.
For "Pompous Windbag", see 419381 | |
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DataDoc
Nilsson Schmilsson
Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC
·Suddenlink
| 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.
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That Snows the Goat & Craig's Crafts | |
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| | realpro
join:2007-02-02
Cabin John, MD
| 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. | |
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RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| 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...
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Toolmaster of La Grange.
For "Pompous Windbag", see 419381 | |
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kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL
·Verizon Online DSL
 ·1and1
·Cox HSI
| 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 | |
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| | fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| 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.
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"Wipe out the national deficit over night... Tax the stupid!" - about 50 gMail invites available. PM if you'd like one. | |
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halfband
Premium
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL
·Comcast
| Re: that is awesome said by fiberguy :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.
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Registered Bandwidth Offender #40812 | |
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dispatcher21
join:2004-01-22
Walla Walla, WA | 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. | |
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| | nolesch
join:2006-05-16
Paducah, KY | 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? | |
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magicjimmy
join:2006-03-23
Tucson, AZ
·Cox HSI
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| 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? | |
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| | | realpro
join:2007-02-02
Cabin John, MD
| 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  ) | |
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LeftOfSanity
join:2005-11-06
Felton, DE | Wow. Ol' JT. I guess everyone needs a hobby. | |
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| SD6
join:2005-03-26 | 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. | |
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halfband
Premium
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL
·Comcast
edit:
February 6th, @04:55PM
| 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.
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Registered Bandwidth Offender #40812 | |
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TraumaJunkie
Premium
join:2004-03-05
Knoxville, TN
| 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.
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I'm not really sure what I am doing, but I'm doing it anyway! | |
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join:2005-03-26
| 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? | |
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| | | | | SD6
join:2005-03-26
| 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. | |
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join:2005-03-26 | 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. | |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs: | 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. | |
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join:2005-03-26 | Re: Wow. I think the California Task Force has more of a sense of what they are going to do. | |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs: | Re: Wow. Got a link? I haven't heard anything it. | |
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join:2005-03-26 | Re: Wow. www.calink.ca.gov | |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs: | Re: Wow. Wow! That's thorough! Thank you. | |
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mglunt
join:2001-09-10
Fredericksburg, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·VoicePulse
edit:
February 6th, @09:26AM
| 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. | |
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powerhog
Stinkin' up the joint
Premium
join:2000-12-14
Talala, OK
| Re: Wow! 12K! said by mglunt :Too bad it would cost them more to hire additional help than it would to just continue to pay the fines. Exactly! The fines should be 10x the "average" salary of a worker in that community. That'd get the company's attention. | |
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| fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| Yea.. thank god for FiOS... the few times I've called Verison, I've waited at least 5 to 7 minutes to get an operator! Shame on them!
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"Wipe out the national deficit over night... Tax the stupid!" - about 50 gMail invites available. PM if you'd like one. | |
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See 8 replies to this post |
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tscallions
join:2003-03-05
Memphis, TN
·Comcast
| 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!
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America: F**K Yeah! | |
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See 10 replies to this post |
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i5050MbSoon
Formerly TwoKDialup
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Coloma, MI
| 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?
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Meet Bill and Karolyn at www.theslowskys.com | |
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| CycloneGT
join:2001-11-15
Boyds, MD
| Re: Inquiring minds want ot know... I'm a resident of Montgomery County MD. I grew up here and pretty much worked here all my life.
Is it me, or do we seem to get more than our share of news here on bbr? Between FiOS and Comcast we always seem to be making the news.
Anyway, I've been Comcast free for over 4 years, but there were always pretty good whenever I called. My only problem with them was that it took several months after my neighborhood was built before service was offered. Hence a forest of Sat dishes here. | |
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FiL
Premium
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD | Re: Inquiring minds want ot know... Ive lived here all my life...Google my location...
Services are TOP NOTCH! Wait times, hah! Wish the whole US had a system as streamlined as ours.
Pot holes get fixed within a week or two tops...lol. Owned. | |
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DataDoc
Nilsson Schmilsson
Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC
·Suddenlink
| I have actually called about this and it took 4 rings and 1 day to get it done. It's not county services that are the problem, it's Comcast.
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That Snows the Goat & Craig's Crafts | |
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| JSRoman
Premium
join:2005-03-10
Callahan, FL | Re: When will the county address safety code violations? Substantial non-compliance with safety codes ? Any back up or links to this?
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www.seabee.org | |
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axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Cox HSI
| 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. | |
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RideRed
Vista needs a popup blocker for Vista
Premium
join:2005-06-18
USA | $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. | |
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brooklynman4
join:2004-09-07
Brooklyn, NY | Re: $12K + bad PR to be used by competitors Ah let the phone phone after this poker game ill get to it lol | |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY | thats change you find on street 12K????????
Thats 1 cent for Comcast! How about fines in % of top line yearly revenue? | |
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FiL
Premium
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD | Re: thats change you find on street Atleast they got FINED!
Mo-County's on the right path; we'll adjust those fines accordingly. Things like this don't remain problems for long in Montgomery County... | |
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| fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| Why? Because we have something in this country called due justice. Because a phone isn't answered in 30 seconds doesn't mean you take a % of their revenue.. are you kidding me?
You "stick it to them good" people need to grow up. This has NOTHING to do with cable.. it's the mentality of such nonsense about things.
I've never seen a more spiteful, bitter, angry group of henchmen in my life! ANYTIME someone sees the slightest bit of slip up, the town villagers come out with their pitchforks and torches for a good old hanging.
It puts GREAT emphases on where your minds are these days when out nation's kids are over fighting for their lives and our safety than what you guys feel you need to do is hang a corporation or bitch or hang someone or something for a reason which is freakin' trivial in the first place. Is 5 minutes of your life worth the extra time and effort you seek out a forum to bitch about it which takes so much longer? As you sit at your computers to bitch about things, is it too hard to place your phone on speaker and wait a couple minutes to be served? Are you all that important that you feel you must be a priority to everything in life?
It's called perspective people.
Those that come back and flame me for this - don't bother. You'll just identify yourselves as the whiners you are.
What I WOULD like to see is substance in return. Exactly HOW are you damaged so much? (This "standard" is often ridiculous in the first place and often unachievable.. what the story doesn't say is or take into account is or was there any storms or other factors that caused the call center to receive high call volumes? It happens) Why not come back with something worth talking about than the usual "Comcrap killed my dog".. or "Commycast ruined my marriage" or "they should hang"....
Really people.. perspective.
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"Wipe out the national deficit over night... Tax the stupid!" - about 50 gMail invites available. PM if you'd like one. | |
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| | hadirtyJlo
join:2004-03-31
Elk Grove, CA
| Re: thats change you find on street Alright, how about this. Not Comcast, but it might as well be. I used to live in Hampton, VA, had Cox for cable, phone internet. The last year I was there I didn't have too many problems, but the previous 2 years were a nightmare. Between the net dropping off a minimum of 4-5 times a day, my DVR not doing anything other than acting as a pass through for the cable, and my digital phone having a constant hiss, I was going crazy. Even after I was elevated to whatever tier of support is above the standard cubicle guy, it still took me a good 15 minutes to get connected to a CSR. Then, anywhere from 45 minutes to 4 HOURS on the phone trying to explain myself and what was happening over and over again. Supposedly, records were kept of my phone calls and conversations, but I they had no official record until I started recording my own. Magically, they began showing my service calls and complaint calls.
Now for how I was damaged. I used to do a lot of reselling on ebay, was a significant source of money for me. I can't count the number of auctions I lost because my connection randomly crapped out on me, which cut into my profits for that month/year. I'd estimated it out to about $8000 lost in profits over the course of 2004 due to my connection dropping for extended periods of time and me having to wait on the phone to get someone to play their magic flute at my modem and get it re-provisioned. No, nothing wrong with the modem, running *almost* rock solid here for Comcast, same one, SB5120. Most of the time, the weather was fine and there were no major outages in the entire Hampton Roads area, which is decently large. Having to wait an average of 15 minutes on hold, then dealing with being placed on hold for another 15 minutes after spending 10 minutes explaining your problem with your phone line to someone not trained well enough, and who doesn't exactly speak well over the phone, then having to explain your problem to the supervisor for another 10 minutes, who then hands you back to the poor speaker and tries to do a 3 way call to fix the issue, wasting yet another 25 minutes is unacceptable. Keep in mind that this was before I owned a cell phone, so I was doing this from a neighbors phone, or a friends cell. I was in the Navy at the time, and I needed to have a landline active and working 24/7 for when people broke stuff in the propulsion plant and I had to be called in to fix it, or whatever other kind of emergency decided to rear its head. Case and point, I was on the phone at a neighbors, trying to get my cable/phone/net fixed again, (it dropped completely this time, gg black screen/dead air/one blinky light.) After 6 hours of phone call and emergency tech roll who just happened to be in the area, (lucky me!), I come to find out someone almost got killed at work and they'd been trying to get ahold of me for 2 hours. Theoretically, you could say that Cox almost killed a kid and caused about $300,000 in damages in the plant due to their shoddy and very slow customer service, but I'm not one to yell and scream and stomp about. I just present the facts in defense of my support of the fine.
I may not agree 100% with it, but I do agree that ISP's need to spend the money to not only increase usable bandwidth, but also to hire enough competent, well spoken, CSR's, and TRAIN them, to be able to handle extreme call loads.
That's my 2.3 cents.
DJ | |
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County Fines Comcast For Not Picking Up The Phone
When will the county address safety code violations?
