M2tv

What The Telecoms Could Learn from Nordstrom and Why I’m Finished Doing Business with AT&T

I just got off the phone with Nordstrom. It was another easy, well-oiled customer service experience.

By contrast, a few days ago, I had yet another head-on with the AT&T brick wall. It will be my last. We've decided to unwind all of our residential, cell and business telephone relationships with them. I wouldn't even consider U-Verse at this point.

Yet, the headline from yesterday’s NY Times was: "AT&T Downplays Damage From Economic Slowdown"

Rick Lindner, the chief financial officer, said AT&T, like other communications companies, was indeed seeing the impact of a softer economy on its operations. But, he added, “they are not very severe at this point.” Even in a downturn, consumers are going to want to stay connected, either online or on the phone. “I think for us that continues to point to more of the defensive nature of our business,” he said.

Well, for me, the end-user and lowly consumer, the cost and the hassle of doing business with this company outweighs the benefit.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHY I'M FINISHED WITH AT&T

I Wuz Robbed! Upset NFL Fan Calls Pittsburgh Cops on Comcast

This item is courtesy of Rob Owen’s Weekly TV Q&A.

Rob received a voice mail from an irate, older Comcast subscriber upset about the NFL Network.

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YIKES, I JUST OPENED MY COMCAST BILL

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY RATE HIKE.

Mona Shaw, Folk Hero To The Comcast Masses

I’m not advocating hammers or any other forms of dispute resolution involving hammers. Seriously, I’m not. Only the written hammer when dealing with Comcast.

Hey, they’re not AT&T, right!? That’s something, anyway. (And Comcast solved a vexatious billing problem for me recently. Okay, they messed with our auto-pay and initially the billing department tried to shift the blame to Amex. Not one but two kindly customer service agents solved the problem. So Comcast earned brownie points for the plus column.)

Nevertheless, this story about a feisty, hammer-wielding 75-year old heart patient who walked into a Virginia Comcast office and smashed a keyboard after Comcast screwed up her triple play installation made me laugh out loud.

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Bob Garfield Says: Comcast Die, Die, Die

Bob Garfield, host of public radio's On The Media and a columnist for Ad Age, is mad. Fightin' mad. It all started mid-August when he signed up for Comcast's triple play. Or at least tried to sign up.

On September 9, Garfield takes his first pot shot at Comcast and the fireworks begin.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON MY MULTICHANNEL BLOG

Barnhart to Cable: Grow Spine; Carry Al Jazeera English

Just ahead of the Fourth of July, Aaron Barnhart, the Kansas City Star television critic, spanked cable providers for their reluctance to carry Al Jazeera English. "Rejected by every major cable company in America, Al Jazeera English is an ambitious attempt to redefine television news. There's absolutely no reason we shouldn't be watching it," asserts Aaron.

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Gay Pride '07 - Google, Comcast, Logo & More!

CLICK HERE TO READ PART ONE OF THIS POST ON MULTICHANNEL.

CLICK ON THUMBNAILS TO ENLARGE

Comcast Joy

Wilson Cruz from Logo's Noah's Ark, shirtless!

Google boys pay homage to Sulu

Ethel Merman, Mentos Girl, and Me

Patrik-Ian Polk, creator, Logo's Noah's Ark

Widower Denied: Support Marriage Equality

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CLICK HERE FOR MY GAY PRIDE PHOTO ALBUM

Comcast: The Fleecing of a Subscriber (cont.)

(This is a continuation of my Multichannel Blog. Click here to read Part One Apologies for the inconvenience. A software glitch put the squeeze on character limits.)

He first tries to sell me on the triple play. Then, he states that in order to receive my missing HD channels I will have to upgrade to a newer cable package.

This upgrade has little to offer above and beyond my current package, other than Cinemax and some sports channels. The cost: another $120/year on top of the January 2007 $144/year rate hike.

When I upgraded to HD in 2005, Comcast never disclosed - not once - that they would require a shift into an even more expensive cable package.

So, this is how Comcast has decided to milk me for more money - hold the HD channels hostage.

As it stands, Comcast offers a paltry 22 HD channels (give or take). And why isn't Comcast offering subscribers one of the flagships of HD - Mark Cuban's HDNet?

Is this what the FCC intended when they approved the AT&T acquisition? Kevin Martin, are you listening?

Comcast, I've been a loyal subscriber but you don't deserve my fealty. I'm fed-up with the bait-and-switch and shakedown tactics.

Last month, AT&T was spotted wiring up my neighborhood for U-verse (they said) and Verizon Fios lurks. I have choices and you're driving me straight into the arms of your competition.

UPDATE: A person employed as a Comcast contractor posted interesting comments about working conditions on Church of the Consumer.

UPDATE: FCC complaint info - "Our Consumer & Mediation Specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET to answer your questions and assist you in filing a complaint. Call toll-free at 1-888-call-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-tell-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY."

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