Discuss...
Yes, it is true ... despicable. Neither D nor R want to enforce anti-trust laws. I don't know if I want the elephant stuffed up the donkey's ass, or the donkey stuffed up the elephant's ass ... but I want someone to be corn-holed!
I know, I know...MORE JOHN OLIVER...but this one, which I just discovered, after posting this thread, is very relevant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU
"...the entire contents of MEIN KAMPF..."
...Laughed my ass off...
Sorry, but we have to go back to three TV stations, all controlled by the CIA/FBI ... just like when I was growing up. So there isn't going to be Net Neutrality much longer ... gotta protect anti-Fa self-righteousness and delete the alt-Right.
Sorry, I didn't find the notion of laughing at the phrase "net neutrality" to be funny, given what it covers. Like laughing at a murder. It is much more than charging Netflix users a larger pipe at the expense of those of us who don't stream, and charging them premium prices, while crapifying it for the rest of us. The R-D party wants their Fourth Reich.
I think everyone should read Mein Kampf ... and William Shirer's "Rise & Fall of the Third Reich". The graphic history "Maus" is also required reading.
I have Comcast cable, Internet and phone and have no complaints. It's a 100% digital service. The service is reliable, and when I do have the occasional problem they usually take care of it quickly. I get pretty much every channel they offer on my current package except The Movie Channel plus 105 Meg Internet. It's actually cheaper to get the package with telephone service than without it. I currently pay about $125 a month. Once a year the price goes up to over $225. When it does I call tell them it's more than I want to pay, and need to get rid rid of some of my services. They put me on a special and the price goes back down for another year.
Around here Comcast is not a monopoly. There is a second cable provider. DirecTV, Dish and AT&T are also options. Google Fiber will be available soon too. They are building their plant now. It is already available in some parts of town.
Why the fuss about Comcast? You don't need to look far to find a despicable monopoly, especially in the field of communications. How about Direct TV and Dish Network?
Outside of that, pharmaceuticals get pretty despicable.
Anyway, I recall that there is a US law that prevents monopolies, but there is probably a newer law that cancels it, or protects monopoly like behavior. We only learn about the first one in school though. It's the one the government made a big deal about.
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on July 10, 2017, 07:11:58 AM
I have Comcast cable, Internet and phone and have no complaints. It's a 100% digital service. The service is reliable, and when I do have the occasional problem they usually take care of it quickly. I get pretty much every channel they offer on my current package except The Movie Channel plus 105 Meg Internet. It's actually cheaper to get the package with telephone service than without it. I currently pay about $125 a month. Once a year the price goes up to over $225. When it does I call tell them it's more than I want to pay, and need to get rid rid of some of my services. They put me on a special and the price goes back down for another year.
Around here Comcast is not a monopoly. There is a second cable provider. DirecTV, Dish and AT&T are also options. Google Fiber will be available soon too. They are building their plant now. It is already available in some parts of town.
$125 dollars?! You're still getting screwed. Here's what you should do. Get rid of Comcast, internet, phone, TV and the entire package. Don't sign up for any of the others. Now you no doubt already own a DVD player. Go out an buy just one DVD with Willy Wonka, and set your DVD player to automatically replay the video when the movie is over. It would be even better if you could reset it to replay just the Oompa Loopa seqences. Leave it on 24 hours a day, even when you sleep. After six months, I guarantee you will be just as emotionally satisfied, intellectually stimulated, and as well informed about current events as you would have been with your entire Comcast package. And all the time you wasted reaching for the remote and searching for something to watch can be better utilized to do something more productive, like smoking cigarettes. Your carpel tunnel syndrome will go away, and you will be more physically fit.
Quote from: SGOS on July 10, 2017, 08:42:40 AM
$125 dollars?! You're still getting screwed. Here's what you should do. Get rid of Comcast, internet, phone, TV and the entire package. Don't sign up for any of the others. Now you no doubt already own a DVD player. Go out an buy just one DVD with Willy Wonka, and set your DVD player to automatically replay the video when the movie is over. It would be even better if you could reset it to replay just the Oompa Loopa seqences. Leave it on 24 hours a day, even when you sleep. After six months, I guarantee you will be just as emotionally satisfied, intellectually stimulated, and as well informed about current events as you would have been with your entire Comcast package. And all the time you wasted reaching for the remote and searching for something to watch can be better utilized to do something more productive, like smoking cigarettes. Your carpel tunnel syndrome will go away, and you will be more physically fit.
Nope. I'm perfectly happy with the services I receive for my $125. The QOS I get from the Comcast Xfinity cable service is is way better than I can currently get from any other source short of over the air, and over the air content is rather limited in this smallish market. Comcast doesn't deliver Blu-Rae quality, but it is the next best thing available to me at this point in time. That includes steaming from Amazon or from the thousands of sources available via the Kodi app. Plus using either of the latter requires Internet access, and the best Internet access currently available for my home is Comcast's service. When Google Fiber gets to our neighborhood I'll probably try that out, but in the meantime I have no desire to take a giant leap backwards in the technology department by switching to any of the multiple services available to me right now.
the anti monopoly law is called the Sherman anti-trust act. I think it's still around, but it hasn't been enforced for 10-15 years. (maybe Congress is getting kickbacks from the Big Box companies to not enforce it)
Well, to be honest, without studying law, for a while...I can't say for sure, that they meet the definition of a monopoly, I guess...But having just this very second, been reconnected, after being kicked off-line, for no apparent reason(this time, in the middle of typing), and for about the 6th time today, I felt it important to say one thing...
(http://images.techhive.com/images/idge/imported/article/ctw/2014/05/15/comcast-sucks-100388791-orig.jpg)
And now...approximately 2 minutes after that last post, I am ONCE AGAIN returning, from being kicked off-line! It would be comical, if it weren't so fucking infuriating! Sorry, PoppyesPappy, but you have about as much chance of convincing me, that Comcast is a good company, as you do of convincing me that, "God is Love," while my walking nightmare of a life, shows me, every day, that he sure as the fuck doesn't love me.
And, of course, the reason it took me so long, to post this response, was primarily due to the fact, I GOT KICKED OFF, YET AGAIN, IN THE MIDDLE OF POSTING IT!
They actually just WASTED SO MUCH OF MY TIME, that I forgot that I had beer in the freezer, to cool faster, and of course, THEY FROZE!
That, Brother, is TRULY UNFORGIVABLE!
Quote from: Solomon Zorn on July 10, 2017, 09:18:54 PM
And now...approximately 2 minutes after that last post, I am ONCE AGAIN returning, from being kicked off-line! It would be comical, if it weren't so fucking infuriating! Sorry, PoppyesPappy, but you have about as much chance of convincing me, that Comcast is a good company, as you do of convincing me that, "God is Love," while my walking nightmare of a life, shows me, every day, that he sure as the fuck doesn't love me.
And, of course, the reason it took me so long, to post this response, was primarily due to the fact, I GOT KICKED OFF, YET AGAIN, IN THE MIDDLE OF POSTING IT!
Soloman, if this is an issue that's been going on for a while then my $100 to your $20 says the problem you are describing is local to you and not something Comcast should be expected to be aware of unless you tell them about it. Not necessarily a problem you are responsible for because it could very well be a bad modem or wiring problem. Have you called Comcast and given them a chance to fix it? If not I'm sorry, but I have very little sympathy for your plight.
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on July 10, 2017, 11:31:11 PM
Soloman, if this is an issue that's been going on for a while then my $100 to your $20 says the problem you are describing is local to you and not something Comcast should be expected to be aware of unless you tell them about it. Not necessarily a problem you are responsible for because it could very well be a bad modem or wiring problem. Have you called Comcast and given them a chance to fix it? If not I'm sorry, but I have very little sympathy for your plight.
My Internet has been wonky all day too. I haven't gotten kicked off line, but things sometimes don't load. And it's been slow when they do. I use Century Link. This happens from time to time. I don't know if it's my hardware or something going on with the net or my provider. Most of the time, things work normally after a day or two.
I used to be on Comcast, but switched to Verizon FIOS when it became available. My friend had FIOS and the reception was just better.
But my major objection to Comcast is the deceptive advertising. It grits my teeth listening to them compare their current cable service to the 1990s DSL from Verizon. Who offers DSL these days? It is like listening to a modern car company comparing their gas mileage to a 1960s Corvette.
Quote from: Cavebear on July 11, 2017, 09:14:09 AM
Who offers DSL these days? It is like listening to a modern car company comparing their gas mileage to a 1960s Corvette.
Unfortunately, out in less populated areas that is all that is available sometimes. Most of us in my square mile neighborhood can now have something other than a dialup connection, but we pay dearly for DSL, $82/mo. But if you want something bad enough, you can convince yourself you're not being taken advantage of. The alternative of recognizing that you're just an object of manipulation is not all that appealing.
And you're right about lying and false advertising. It's especially rampant among the communications providers. I can't speak to Comcast directly. Perhaps they are totally consumer oriented, with a desire to establish a reputation on their best business practices, but it doesn't sound like it. If you have to actually call them each year when they routinely try to fuck you over, and you have to threaten them, it sounds like they're actually taking advantage of a lot of chumps who think a company like Comcast would never behave like that.
Quote from: SGOS on July 11, 2017, 10:00:51 AM
Unfortunately, out in less populated areas that is all that is available sometimes. Most of us in my square mile neighborhood can now have something other than a dialup connection, but we pay dearly for DSL, $82/mo. But if you want something bad enough, you can convince yourself you're not being taken advantage of. The alternative of recognizing that you're just an object of manipulation is not all that appealing.
And you're right about lying and false advertising. It's especially rampant among the communications providers. I can't speak to Comcast directly. Perhaps they are totally consumer oriented, with a desire to establish a reputation on their best business practices, but it doesn't sound like it. If you have to actually call them each year when they routinely try to fuck you over, and you have to threaten them, it sounds like they're actually taking advantage of a lot of chumps who think a company like Comcast would never behave like that.
SGOS, if DSL is truly all that is available is some places, I must humbly apologize. I thought the Comcast ads were just cheap cynical lies. And I will have to apologize (in my mind only) to Comcast about my evil thoughts about them.
Quote from: SGOS on July 11, 2017, 10:00:51 AM
And you're right about lying and false advertising. It's especially rampant among the communications providers. I can't speak to Comcast directly. Perhaps they are totally consumer oriented, with a desire to establish a reputation on their best business practices, but it doesn't sound like it. If you have to actually call them each year when they routinely try to fuck you over, and you have to threaten them, it sounds like they're actually taking advantage of a lot of chumps who think a company like Comcast would never behave like that.
I don't see it as deceptive if they tell you up front you are getting a special price for a limited time after which your price increases to standard charges.
My experience with Comcast is they have the best customer service in the traditional cable business. I've used Comcast, Charter, Time Warner, WOW, Mediacom, Cox and a few other smaller providers over the years so I have some basis for comparison. Comcast's all digital Xfinity service is also the most advanced technology in use by any of the traditional cable service providers I'm familiar with.
That doesn't mean their customer service is perfect. They have somewhere north of 25 million subscribers, and they can't please all the people all time no matter how hard they try.
HELLO AGAIN! I say that because I have just returned from, about
AN HOUR AND A HALF of being "internet deprived."
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on July 10, 2017, 11:31:11 PM
...I have very little sympathy for your plight.
So happy to hear, you are having such a
great experience with Comcast, but to
paraphrase John Oliver,
"Food chain: it's the best thing around, WHEN YOU'RE ON TOP..." You are very likely,
for who knows what fucking reason, the beneficiary of someone else's shit-for-service-suffering...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_throttling
QuoteBandwidth throttling is the intentional slowing of Internet service by an Internet service provider. It is a reactive measure employed in communication networks to regulate network traffic and minimize bandwidth congestion (for large companies that can afford to pay the ISP to take away service for local households and carry more bandwidth to them).
I realize you are not "a large company," but it doesn't necessarily matter. Somewhere in your town,
someone is probably being ripped off, so that you can be
BLESSED. Phalleluyah!
And, by the way, if Cavebear and I can agree, then you should know, instinctively, something is definitely wrong here!
Quote from: Solomon Zorn on July 11, 2017, 10:07:28 PM
HELLO AGAIN! I say that because I have just returned from, about AN HOUR AND A HALF of being "internet deprived."
So happy to hear, you are having such a great experience with Comcast, but to paraphrase John Oliver, "Food chain: it's the best thing around, WHEN YOU'RE ON TOP..." You are very likely, for who knows what fucking reason, the beneficiary of someone else's shit-for-service-suffering...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_throttling
I realize you are not "a large company," but it doesn't necessarily matter. Somewhere in your town, someone is probably being ripped off, so that you can be BLESSED.
Phalleluyah!
What I said was I have very little sympathy for your plight if you haven't reported your problem to Comcast and given them a chance to fix it.
Have you?
Okay, Brother...you actually did, unintentionally...eviscerate me, but not for the reason you think. I have not called Comcast, because...
(That's all you will get, for an answer, to that question, because the truth, in detail, would not only seem to nullify my entire complaint - although technically it is still true - but also...)
I think you probably understand, where I would be going with this answer(but, out of "internet paranoia," I'm not going to go there)...
So...YOU WIN!(retrieve your prize, at the door, as you leave)
Either way...COMCAST SUCKS!
Probably run by Republicans. Republicans poison everything.
Quote from: Solomon Zorn on July 11, 2017, 11:12:57 PM
Okay, Brother...you actually did, unintentionally...eviscerate me, but not for the reason you think. I have not called Comcast, because...
(That's all you will get, for an answer, to that question, because the truth, in detail, would not only seem to nullify my entire complaint - although technically it is still true - but also...)
I think you probably understand, where I would be going with this answer(but, out of "internet paranoia," I'm not going to go there)...
So...YOU WIN!(retrieve your prize, at the door, as you leave)
Either way...COMCAST SUCKS!
It was never about winning, Solomon. My original point was that Comcast is not a monopoly. There might be a handful of people in this country that have no choice on the types of services Comcast sells other than Comcast, but I doubt you are one of them. For me Comcast represents the best available value for my entertainment dollars. That's subjective on my part, but I feel that way because I believe I get more for less with Comcast than I would get if I used one of the other service providers available in my area at this point in time.
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on July 12, 2017, 12:52:28 PM
It was never about winning, Solomon. My original point was that Comcast is not a monopoly. There might be a handful of people in this country that have no choice on the types of services Comcast sells other than Comcast, but I doubt you are one of them. For me Comcast represents the best available value for my entertainment dollars. That's subjective on my part, but I feel that way because I believe I get more for less with Comcast than I would get if I used one of the other service providers available in my area at this point in time.
Actually, on that point, and the $20 remark also, you are mistaken. I live in an apartment complex, that wont allow satellite dishes. So Comcast
is my only option. I haven't subscribed to the TV service, for many years(I get 3 channels, on the antenna FOX, CBS and NBC ...2 of which were recently purchased by
Sinclair...another despicable company...but that is another topic, on another thread), but I do use their internet service. My contempt for them, started some years ago, when they closed their local office, and has only grown ever since.
Quote from: Solomon Zorn on July 12, 2017, 03:01:24 PM
Actually, on that point, and the $20 remark also, you are mistaken. I live in an apartment complex, that wont allow satellite dishes. So Comcast is my only option. I haven't subscribed to the TV service, for many years(I get 3 channels, on the antenna FOX, CBS and NBC ...2 of which were recently purchased by Sinclair...another despicable company...but that is another topic, on another thread), but I do use their internet service. My contempt for them, started some years ago, when they closed their local office, and has only grown ever since.
All customer service is being moved to India, Zorn sahib. We are doing the best we can, given that English isn't our first language. For better service, please speak Hindi ;-)
यह हमारी गलती नहीà¤, है à¤...गर कोई पवितà¥à¤° गाय आपके सैटेलाइट रिसेपà¥à¤¶à¤¨ को à¤...वरà¥à¤¦à¥à¤§ कर रहा है!
Quote from: Baruch on July 12, 2017, 06:55:20 PM
All customer service is being moved to India, Zorn sahib. We are doing the best we can, given that English isn't our first language. For better service, please speak Hindi ;-)
Language barrier aside, the Hindi working the customer service desk are probably better educated (and more intelligent) than their American counterparts.
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on July 12, 2017, 08:14:03 PM
Language barrier aside, the Hindi working the customer service desk are probably better educated (and more intelligent) than their American counterparts.
May the god Ganesh look kindly upon your elephants ;-)
A related video, that I am now double posting...and again, it's a problem that you thought was resolved...but...Trump...
When you're done, you may want to click on this convenient link...
gofccyourself.com (http://gofccyourself.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vuuZt7wak
And here's a slightly more recent update...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI5y-_sqJT0
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on July 11, 2017, 11:41:49 AM
I don't see it as deceptive if they tell you up front you are getting a special price for a limited time after which your price increases to standard charges.
My experience with Comcast is they have the best customer service in the traditional cable business. I've used Comcast, Charter, Time Warner, WOW, Mediacom, Cox and a few other smaller providers over the years so I have some basis for comparison. Comcast's all digital Xfinity service is also the most advanced technology in use by any of the traditional cable service providers I'm familiar with.
That doesn't mean their customer service is perfect. They have somewhere north of 25 million subscribers, and they can't please all the people all time no matter how hard they try.
Technically, Comcast is good. But Verizon FIOS is better. And Verizon helps me with problems not of their cause a lot better than Comcast did. Just saying.
And as far as the advertising goes, Comcast compares themselves to DSL even in areas where DSL isn't tany source of service (like around Washington, DC), so THAT is deceptive.