PSC staff said FiOS "may form an electrically conductive path" and could create an electrical hazard. PSC spokesman James Dean called the public safety risk "minimal - however, there is a potential risk."

Under a plan submitted to the PSC last month, Verizon would review all of its fiber-optic installations to ensure connections are properly grounded and correct violations.

The company also said it would issue credits of up to $20 to customers for installations after Aug. 18 unless it meets standards at least 95 percent of the time. The credits would "compensate such customers for the inconvenience of the inspection (and, where applicable, remediation) process," according to documents filed with the PSC.

Verizon added that they take the Public Service Commission's concerns "very seriously."

Verizon offers plan to inspect FiOS wiring [Albany Times Union]
Violations cited in LI FiOS installations [Newsday]
(Photo: Getty)

Then respond...
This offer is just one option for customers. It’s a choice! Comcast is committed to offering customer the best programming and services. We want to provide our loyal customers the best packages available. The package offered requires that the customer maintain the minimum level of services for 24 months.

If customer asks...
Are the rates guaranteed for 12 months for all of my boxes and services?

Then respond...
The rate of the plan (plus applicable taxes and franchise fees) is guaranteed for the Comcast Digital Cable package for a period of 12 months from the date service is activated. The package is limited to service to one outlet and does not include equipment, or other charges not specifically included in the offer (including without limitation, PPV and other non recurring charges) Upgrades to service are allowed on an a la carte basis, however, those prices are not guaranteed.

If customer asks...
What will happen to the cost of the services when the first 12 months is completed?

Then respond...
After the 12 months of the offer, Comcast’s regular service and equipment fees will apply.

[CAE Note: Please remind the customer they will start to receive the multi-product discount on their bill after their 12 month promotional rates ends.]

If customer asks...
What happens to my offer when I move?

Then respond...
If you cancel service because you move your residence to a location within a Comcast serviceable area and you reconnect to a Comcast Digital Cable service comparable to the package, the reimbursement fee will not apply.

If you move to a Comcast area without transferring service, reimbursement fees will apply.

* If you downgrade between months 2 and 12, your fee will be 100% of the value of the Wii, or $250.
* If you downgrade between months 13 and 24, then your fee will be 50% of the value of the Wii, or $125.
* If you only downgrade a DVR or HD service or any other added services above the minimum level, you will not be charged the reimbursement fee.

If customer asks...
Can I add services?

Then respond...
Since you are only required to maintain a minimum level of service you can upgrade or add services during the 24 months.

If customer asks...
What happens if I downgrade my service within the next 2 years?

Then respond...
If you downgrade service below the minimum level within the 24-month period, the reimbursement fee applies.

* If you downgrade between months 2 and 12, your fee will be 100% of the value of the Wii, or $250.
* If you downgrade between months 13 and 24, then your fee will be 50% of the value of the Wii, or $125.
* If you downgrade a DVR or HD service or any other added services above the minimum level, you will not be charged the reimbursement fee.

If customer asks...
Can I transfer the agreement into someone else’s name?

Then respond...
The redemption form is non-transferable and cannot be transferred to someone else’s name. The agreement applies to the current account holder. However, we can accept name changes due to marriage, etc. That person will need to sign a new redemption form.

If customer asks...
What happens if I lost the redemption form or I never received it?

Then respond...
A second redemption form can be mailed to the customer upon request. Please see supervisor for details.
An extension on the 30 days is at the discretion of the system.

If customer asks...
How will I know that the Wii has shipped?

Then respond...
A notification letter will be mailed up to five business days prior to the Wii system arriving at customer’s shipping address.
The letter will include a shipping address, UPS tracking number and customer service phone number for shipping inquiries.

If customer asks...
What shipping address will be used?

Then respond...
The shipping address will be the customer’s service address.

If service address does not accept deliveries or if customer requests alternate address, the Wii system will ship to customer’s billing address. Please note that the Wii system will only ship to customer’s service address or billing address [as default].

If customer asks...
How can I track the shipment status?

Then respond...
Qualifying customers can track Wii shipment status by visiting the following site: http://www.checkmyrebate.com/ComcastWii

Please note that qualifying customers should access this site AFTER they return their redemption form and 30 days have passed since Triple Play installation.

If customer asks...
Will a signature be required upon UPS delivery of the Wii?

Then respond...
No, the customer is not required to provide a signature in most cases. The only time a signature will be required is if the Wii system is shipped to a multi-dwelling unit.
We will keep record of every shipped Wii system, the UPS tracking number and ‘shipped to’ address.

If customer asks...
What happens if I don’t receive my Wii?

Then respond...
We would escalate the situation.

If customer asks...
What if I am subscribed to the Premier Triple Play Bundle and want to downgrade to Preferred Plus Triple Play Bundle in markets where the minimum level of service required for this offer is Preferred Plus?

Then respond...
Yes, you would be able to downgrade if you live in markets where the minimum level of services for this offer is Preferred Plus.

If customer asks...
I’ve heard that there were incompatibility issues between Comcast routers and the Wii. Is this true?

Then respond...
* In early versions of the Wii (pre-System Menu 2.2), there was some incompatibility with routers provided by Comcast.
* Nintendo has patched the incompatibility issues and all Wii systems manufactured since April 2007 have this patch built-in (including those allocated to Comcast for the Nintendo Wii promotion).
* There should be no issues between Comcast routers and Wii systems for this current promotion.

If customer asks...
I already have a Comcast service(s). If I add another service to make my package [Preferred Plus or Premier] Triple Play, can I get the Nintendo Wii?

Then respond...
This promotion is for new customers only [going from 0 to 3 services for a qualifying Triple Play package]. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes. However, we do have other offers available for our customers adding products to their existing services.

Termination of Redemption form terms

A reimbursement fee will be applied to the account for cancellation or downgrades from the minimum level of service between month 2 and month 24 after installation. In the reimbursement form, a local number is included so that disconnected customers can contact their former Comcast office and request the Reimbursement fee be credited.

If the customer downgrades or disconnects between month 2 and month 12, the reimbursement fee is 100% of the value of the item. ($250.) If the customer downgrades or disconnects between month 13 and month 24, the reimbursement fee is 50% of the value of the item. ($125)

Moving outside of Comcast footprint

* CAE explains a termination fee will apply

Moving within the Comcast footprint

* CAE sets up a transfer within the market or uses MoveCo.
* If successful with transfer within a system or MoveCo no Reimbursement fee applies
* If not successful, then Reimbursement fee will apply and the customer can send a Comcast bill from the new location to have the fee credited to account
* If customer does not want to tell CAE where they are moving, CAE will advise that a reimbursement fee will apply, until we receive confirmation of Comcast service has been installed *
* OR Customer can request an exemption letter for the Reimbursement Fee. This letter is to be completed and returned with proof of their new Comcast service.

Non-pay

* Normal Collection Process will be followed
* Work order will reflect customer has a Value Add offer (rate codes)
* If money is not collected at any step during collection process, reimbursement fee will be applied to account.

Downgrades

* Customer stays with Comcast, but downgrades from minimum level of service required by the Value add campaign.
* CAE probes for reason for downgrade and explains reimbursement fee applies if customer removes services below the required minimum level of service.
* Customer can upgrade to a higher level of any of the three services.
* If customer understands and wants to continue with downgrade, CAE requests manager apply the reimbursement fee according to the time left in the 24 month period.
* If the CAE is successful retaining the customer in the current service level, no reimbursement apply
* If there are extenuating circumstances that require a downgrade, account needs to be referred to management to determine if reimbursement fee will apply. An example would be the computer breaks down and customer is not getting another right away.

Death

* If CAE is advised that the customer who accepted the Value Add offer has passed away, show empathy
* CAE will advise relative that a Reimbursement fee will be applied, but can be immediately credited with fax/mail copy of obituary or death certificate *
* CAE requests manager to apply credit of the reimbursement fee and document this on the account.

(Photo: largeprime)

Comcast Offers Wii™ Systems To New Triple Play Customers [Press Release]
(Photo: BohPhoto)

"When AT&T provides broadband service by speed, it will do so in discrete, non-overlapping tiers," Quinn said in written testimony. "We will strive to provide service within the speed tier purchased by the customer and, if we find that we are not providing service within the ordered speed tier, AT&T will take action either to bring the customer's service within the ordered tier or give the customer an option to move to a different tier."

There's actually no word on pricing yet, but we're going to make a bold, brave prediction that you'll pay more than your current package for the better tiers.

"AT&T To Create Tiered Internet Access For Subscribers" [CNN Money]
(Photo: Getty)

Some construction work was ongoing in the neighborhood, and it disrupted the underground cable services. Verizon and the electric provider fixed their wires within a day. Cablevision couldn't figure out how to fix their underground wiring, so they proceeded to run a coaxial cable out of the pedestal on my front property, up a tree in my front yard, where it was tied on with some copper wire, thrown across the street, tied to a lamppost head again with copper wire, dropped back down the lamppost, into another pedestal. It sat like this for well over a month and Cablevision insisted there was nothing they could do about it...

I made three service appointments to fix it and each time I was told my picture quality was fine. I eventually got them to fix it by lying through my teeth that I was about to cut down my tree. There was absolutely no lighting protection, and in addition there were exposed conductors from the previous underground installation hanging out right in the open. But also, no one from Cablevision ever asked to use my tree as an ad-hoc telephone pole, and in fact, when they were installing the wire in the tree, one of the technicians gave us a hard time about accessing our own driveway. Am I surprised? Not at all. But I did promise Cablevision I was going to get them some press over it.

Happy to oblige.

Cul-de-sac’s Cut Cable Causes Cablevision Craziness

The position requires installation and removal of "strategic and tactical data intercept equipment on a nation-wide basis to meet Comcast and Government lawful intercept needs." The intercept engineer also "performs diagnosis on data, voice, and video services to detect and respond to fraudulent activity such as theft of service and speed enhancement." Only Comcast would prosecute enhanced performance.

Comcast Is Hiring an Internet Snoop for the Feds [Wired]
Job Listing [BrassRing]
(Photo: Getty) (Thanks to Jeff!)

"The network is asserting almost complete control of the users' ability to use their network as a gateway to the Internet," said Marvin Ammori, general counsel of Free Press, a Washington-based consumer advocacy group. "They become gatekeepers rather than gateways."

But the provisions are rarely enforced, except against obvious miscreants like spammers. Consumer outrage would have been the likely result if AT&T Inc. took advantage of its stated right to block any activity that causes the company "to be viewed unfavorably by others."

Jonathan Zittrain, professor of Internet governance and regulation at Oxford University, said this clause was a "piece of boilerplate that is passed around the corporate lawyers like a Christmas fruitcake.

"The idea that they would ever invoke it and point to it is nuts, especially since their terms of service already say they can cut you off for any reason and give you a refund for the balance of the month," Zittrain said.

AT&T removed the "unfavorably by others" wording in February after The Associated Press asked about the reason behind it. Subscribers, however, wouldn't know that it was gone unless they checked the contract word for word: The document still said it was last updated Oct. 8, 2007.

Most companies reserve the right to change the contracts at any time, without any notice except an update on the Web site. Verizon used to say it would notify subscribers of changes by e-mail, but the current contract just leaves that as an option for the company.

• Read Your Email: No warrant or court involvement required. They can read your email for any reason, at any time, without any oversight.
• Ban Websites: Any content deemed "inappropriate" can disappear behind an impromptu version of the Great Chinese Firewall.
• Boot You For Using The Service: You can be booted for excessively using your unlimited connection. Our tipsters tell us that Comcast's unpublished limit is around 200 GB per month.
• 
  

The online behavior of a small but growing number of computer users in the United States is monitored by their Internet service providers, who have access to every click and keystroke that comes down the line.

The companies harvest the stream of data for clues to a person's interests, making money from advertisers who use the information to target their online pitches.

[..]

The extent of the practice is difficult to gauge because some service providers involved have declined to discuss their practices. Many Web surfers, moreover, probably have little idea they are being monitored.

But at least 100,000 U.S. customers are tracked this way, and service providers have been testing it with as many as 10 percent of U.S. customers, according to tech companies involved in the data collection.

Although common tracking systems, known as cookies, have counted a consumer's visits to a network of sites, the new monitoring, known as "deep-packet inspection," enables a far wider view — every Web page visited, every e-mail sent and every search entered. Every bit of data is divided into packets — like electronic envelopes — that the system can access and analyze for content.

ISPs Hog Rights in Fine Print [AP]
Every Click You Make [Washington Post]
(Photo: Getty)

The self-policing marketplace and blogosphere, combined with vigilant scrutiny from policymakers, provides an ample check on the reasonableness of such [network management] judgments.

Comcast: The Blogosphere Will Keep Us Honest [IP Democracy] (Thanks to Ninja of the DC!)
Comments Of Comcast Corporation (PDF)

ISPs create tangled Web of sneaky fees [Red Tape Chronicles]
(Photo: Getty)

In the Charleston SC area we are fortunate to have local a internet / phone / cable provider called Knology that has made customer service an art form.

Over the last few weeks I have been reconfiguring my home network and have contacted their customer support several times to change my settings, each time I was greeted by a competent employee who handled my request with ease. I finally settled on using an Apple AirPort Extreme and placed one final call to set it all up.

Now, because I am a lifelong Mac user I expected to hear "What is a Mac?" or "We don't support Apple products." Instead the customer service rep said it wasn't a problem and even shared some geeked out fact about the router that I didn't know. He made the changes needed to the account, I didn't even have to touch my keyboard or mouse. At the end of the call he offered to have a technician follow up with a call in an hour to make sure it was working. One hour later the technician called while I was happily surfing the web over my new wireless connection.

An amusing postscript to this story. Right after I had finished setting up the connection, an AT&T salesman comes to my door and I was able to give him an ear full of what I thought of his illegal wiretapping company. It was like icing on the cake. : )

In New York, customers tired of Time Warner, Verizon, and Cablevision can look to independent DSL providers like Bway.net. Frustrated residents of other cities can use DSLReports.com to track down their own local alternatives.

Local (Mom & Pop) ISPs [Broadband Reports]
(Photo: dailyinvention)

ComcastMustDie [Official Site]
(Photo: cmorran123)

RELATED: How To Behave When Calling Executive Customer Service (hint: nicely)
(Photo: Sam Wilkinson)

It is not true that "Verizon is only offering the couple $1,800" as their lawyer has told the press. We have paid the couple that amount as an advance to cover some of their initial expenses, and we are attempting to negotiate an agreement to cover the remainder of their loss. Meanwhile, we are providing temporary housing for the couple at a nearby suit hotel while their landlord is renovating their rental apartment. Nonetheless, the couple involved in this case has decided to sue Verizon....

The reality is that anytime you drill into a wall, there is a risk of hitting hidden wires. Our technicians take precautions to avoid such accidents, of course, but occasionally they happen anyhow. We regret it when they do occur, and we do everything possible to resolve resulting issues fairly for all concerned. We do not consider fires started during FiOS installations to be a widespread problem, but, of course, even if such an incident only happens once, it is one time too many.It's not unheard of for a plaintiff to spin their opponent's weaknesses to the press to gain more bargaining leverage. It is odd, however, for companies to set their customers' houses on fire, although in Verizon's case, there's been a clutch of recent incidents of FiOS techs doing exactly that. We hope the Sammlers get through this difficult time, and that both parties get exactly what they deserve. For the Sammlers, that would be a fire and smoke-free house in working order. For Verizon, that would be for for CEO Ivan G. Seidenberg to pull a Michael Jackson during his next on-stage product demo.

PREVIOUSLY: Verizon FiOS Sets Another House On Fire

This information is based off of a successful EECB an reader launched. As you can see, he figured out that the Comcast corporate email address format was firstname_lastname@cable.comcast.com, and then he plugged in the names for all the executives he could find.

david_cohen@comcast.com, ralph_roberts@comcast.com, marlene_dooner@comcast.com , marlene_s_dooner@comcast.com, leslie_a_arena@comcast.com, leslie_arena@comcast.com , daniel_j_goodwin@comcast.com, daniel_goodwin@comcast.com, payne_d_brown@comcast.com , payne_brown@comcast.com, kerry_knott@comcast.com, joseph_w_waz@comcast.com, joseph_waz@comcast.com, victoria_clarke@comcast.com, jim_coltharp@comcast.com, sena_fitzmaurice@comcast.com, susan_gonzales@comcast.com, brian_kelly@comcast.com, melissa_maxfield@comcast.com, cindy_parsons@cable.comcast.com, eilene_vaughn-pickrell@cable.comcast.com, theressa_davis@cable.comcast.com , kelle_maslyn@cable.comcast.com, ray_child@cable.comcast.com, steve_kipp@cable.comcast.com , lurlean_davis2@cable.comcast.com, tom_yates@cable.comcast.com, helen_bell@cable.comcast.com, bob_curtis@cable.comcast.com, jim_beletti@cable.comcast.com, greg_aschenbach@cable.comcast.com, lori_kohler2@cable.comcast.com, ralph_roberts@cable.comcast.com, joseph_collins@cable.comcast.com, decker_anstrom@cable.comcast.com, sheldon_bonovitz@cable.comcast.com, michael_sovern@cable.comcast.com, kenneth_bacon@cable.comcast.com, jeffrey_honickman@cable.comcast.com, brian_roberts@cable.comcast.com, jeff_shell@cable.comcast.com, sherman_henderson@cable.comcast.com, george_roberts@cable.comcast.com, derrick_clark@cable.comcast.com, esl_corp@cable.comcast.com, stephen_burke@cable.comcast.com, david_watson@cable.comcast.com, john_schanz@cable.comcast.com, william_connors@cable.comcast.com, michael_doyle@cable.comcast.com, john_ridall@cable.comcast.com, bradley_dusto@cable.comcast.com, bill_connors@cable.comcast.com, douglas_gaston@cable.comcast.com, kevin_casey@cable.comcast.com, brian_roberts@comcast.com, john_morabito@comcast.com, kim_scardino@comcast.com, joe_waz@comcast.com , audit_committee_chairman@comcast.com, smbonovitz@duanemorris.com, ralph_j_roberts@comcast.com, julian_a_brodsky@comcast.com, julian_brodsky@comcast.com, roger_paul@cable.comcast.com, marc_broadnax1@cable.comcast.com, wayne_hall@cable.comcast.com, charlie_kennamer@cable.comcast.com, andrea_agnew@comcast.com, brooke_manbeck@comcast.com, jerome_espy@cable.comcast.com, marybeth_schubert@cable.comcast.com, mark_apple@cable.comcast.com, darcy_rudnay@comcast.com, darcy_rudnay@cable.comcast.com, jennifer_khoury@comcast.com, jennifer_khoury@cable.comcast.com, jenni_moyer@comcast.com, jenni_moyer@cable.omcast.com, charlie_douglas@comcast.com, charlie_douglas@cable.comcast.com, john_demming@comcast.com, john_demming@cable.comcast.com, sena_fitzmaurice@cable.comcast.com, colleen_rooney@comcast.com, colleen_rooney@cable.comcast.com, corporate_communications@comcast.com, shawn_feddeman@cable.comcast.com, eastern_press@cable.comcast.com, rich_ruggiero@cable.comcast.com, reg_griffin@cable.comcast.com, erica_smith1@cable.comcast.com, elizabeth_mars@cable.comcast.com, andrew_c_johnson@cable.comcast.com, david_johnson@cable.comcast.com, dave_johnson@cable.comcast.com, sherman_peterson@cable.comcast.com, steve_burke@cable.comcast.com, peter_golfinopoulos@cable.comcast.com, jim_bellamy@cable.comcast.com.com, john_colucci@cable.comcast.com, bobillinois_cole@cable.comcast.com.

RELATED: How To Launch An Executive Email Carpet Bomb

(Photo: dmuth)

"I am just trying to help spread the truth about how screwed up Comcast is," the insider writes in their first post. "I am not trying to hurt Comcast's reputation or bad talk them, I think they do a good enough job themselves...You will find a lot of good information here. The information you want to see as a consumer and they don't."

We'll be watching, and Comcast will as well.

Inside Comcast
(Photo: cmorran123)

"Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. I work at Qwest, and I am Mac user with Qwest Broadband. I want to clarify that Qwest Broadband absolutely works with Macs. I apologize for the poor experience Ms. Case had with our technical support - it runs counter to our goal to provide outstanding customer service. We have Mac specialists in our technical support centers, and there is an online resource available for Mac users with Qwest Broadband at: http://www.qwest.com/internethelp/opsystems/mac/index.html#osten"

Thanks! Maybe that link should be shared with the grunt level customer and tech support staff. They didn't seem to be able to find it the nine different times our reader Lindsey called.

(Photo: Noël Lee)

A Philly family is the latest to have their house set on fire after Verizon FiOs installers drilled through their electrical line. The Sammlers says the smoke from the fire and chemicals used to fight it ruined all their possessions, $58,000 worth. Verizon has offered the family $1,800. What will the Verizon Policy Blog have to say about this incident? Probably something along the lines of, "while the smoke at the Sammler house may be gone, the desire of customers still clamoring for the blazing hot speeds of FiOS is yet to be quenched!"

Warrington couple sues Verizon over fire [The Intelligencer via Network World]

PREVIOUSLY:
Verizon FiOs Install Results In Gas Line Breach
Verizon Spins Causing Electrical Fire During FiOs Install Into Sales Pitch
Verizon Techs Blow Out AP Reporter's Electrical Box During Installation
Verizon Continues Weird, Pointless Flame War With Networkworld Blogger
(Photo: davidbivins)

When I received the modem and start up disc, none of the codes would work for my computer, nor my housemates. I called Qwest and was told that it was because I had a MacBook. During the month of June I called Qwest over nine times, and was repeatedly told in both polite and in rude terms that the problem was my Mac, not Qwest. During one call to Qwest, an employee told me that he could get it up and running in 30 seconds if my computer were a PC. When I asked him if any of his colleagues were trained for Macs, he told me that hardly anyone uses macs and Qwest should not have to train its employees in a practically obsolete system. He then transferred me, against my will, to the apple support line."

My computer is a 2007 Macbook that receives wireless at every coffee shop or business with wireless; i is not a problem with my computer. The apple support line should not have to pick up the pieces for Qwest employees.

The amount of time spent on the phone with Qwest in June, transfers directly to my cell phone bill. I went over my minutes for the first time in my cell phone contract by exactly the amount of time I was on the phone with Qwest. I admit, I do choose to have a cell phone instead of a landline. This means that 1-800 numbers cost minutes on my plan, yet if Qwest employees had been trained sufficiently in both Macs and PCs, I should have only had to make one phone call, and thus not go over my minutes. I do believe that part of my $57.54 monthly Qwest bill is to having access to customer service.

After this cell phone bill, I asked Qwest for a new modem to rent. I was sent a non-rental and charged roughly $100. I did not learn this until my bill at the end of July.

After receiving the new modem, I had the same series of problems with wireless not working in the household. After three more phone calls, I got a Qwest employee that knew Macs. He got the wireless up and running in under 30 seconds.

Shortly after the wireless got working, I got the bill for the charged modem. I immediately called billing and asked if I could have it transferred on my account as a rental. The first person I talked to did not think they could do it, but then I got them to transfer me to the Loyalties Department. The first person I talked to in loyalties, told me that they could change it to rental status, and because I was a loyal customer, he would give me three months for half price in recompense for all the previous trouble. He told me to wait three days to pay my bill, because he would start the discount that month. I was much relieved. Yet when I called to check on my bill five business days later, it had not changed.

When I called to check with billing they had two different computer profiles for me, one gave the information that loyalties had told me, the other had the higher bill. They could not rectify it, so instead of Qwest figuring it out its own internal error, they forced me to talk to Loyalties, billing, and customer care. I spent over two hours on the phone that day. I should not be the one communicating to each department in Qwest about Qwest's own internal error on my bill. Qwest should be taking responsibility for making sure their profiles on the customer's is correct. I believe this is what costumer service entails.

I canceled my service that day. This was the middle of August. I was told by Loyalties that my plan would be terminated, and essentially erase a month of service from my bill for all the inconvenience, and that she would send me a label with reference number for the modem, so that I wouldn't have to eat the cost of the modem. I never received a reference number. It took the final bill until mid-September to arrive. Loyalties was able to give me the one month discount. Yet the modem had not been credited. I had to call again for a reference number to send the modem back. Again I was told not to pay the bill for the modem.

I sent the modem back near the end of September. On September 26th, I received notification that Qwest was going to send my bill to a collection agency if I did not pay or make arrangements for payments. The bill in question was the combination of the $100 erroneous charge for the modem, the non-credited month of service and a partial month of service. All of these charges I had been told by three separate employees to wait to pay, yet apparently interdepartmental communication had failed again. I called on the 26th and paid everything except for the modem cost, asking if that would stop them from sending it to collections. The Qwest employee told me it would.

One week later, I got another notice to pay the $100 for the modem, or it would be sent to collections. Again, I called and asked to put a stop on the transfer to collections. Again, I was told it would not be sent. Yet today, I got both a collections notice for the $100, and a phone call from collections. It was both the rudest letter and phone call that I have ever received, and it was due to the fact that I waited to pay the bill because Qwest had told me to wait. I paid the collections agency in order to save my credit rating, then called Qwest. I was told that the $100 had been credited to my account and the collections notice was a mistake.

I am dumbfounded that this went to collections despite my communication with Qwest. I feel harassed by this continued ill treatment, and blatant irresponsibility by Qwest. This irresponsibility has added up to a $100 collections bill, a threat to my credit, a $89 charge in overage minutes on my cell phone, and two months of bills paid to Qwest for wireless service when no wireless service was being received in our house. My main complaint is that as an individual paying for a service, I should receive that service in exchange for my payment. I that service should malfunction or not perform with in the bounds of its contract, then the company should be responsible for fixing it. It
is not the individual's responsibility to call every department of a corporation to make sure they are getting proper customer service; it is the corporation's responsibility in exchange for monthly payment to give proper service to the customer.

My house has switched to Charter and they had us up and running immediately. The one time that we have had a problem, Charter came to our house, and fixed it for us, free of charge. They did not force us to stay on the phone for multiple hours, or try to tell us that it was our computer's problem.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Lindsey Case

(Photo: Getty)

"Please why oh why? Comcast Must Die!"
"And I just sigh 'Comcast Must Die."
"'Cause they just lie, Comcast Must Die."
"'Goddamn!' cussed I. 'Comcast Must Die!'"

Submissions can be sent to bobosphere@gmail.com.

Theme Song Needed [Comcast Must Die]

Reached for comment, the leaker said, "I really don't care... I am happy I turned over a few rocks and let the world know."

Trust us, Comcast, you're never going to find Deep Throat. Go back to doing what you do best, sleeping on customer's couches and raising prices.

PREVIOUSLY: Comcast's "We Don't Throttle BitTorrent" Internal Talking Points Memo

Internet providers, including Time Warner Cable Inc., Comcast Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc., as well as Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc., which provide e-mail services, declined to comment. Several said it's the first time they've heard about the issue.

Kate Dean, executive director of the U.S. Internet Service Provider Association —-- a trade group whose members include AOL, Verizon and Comcast —-- said it will respond to Mortenson's petition, but declined to make any comments until then.

Some companies, such as Yahoo! and Google, allow their e-mail users to forward incoming mail to another address. There are other companies, such as Pobox.com, that also provide an e-mail forwarding service.

Richi Jennings, an analyst with San Francisco-based Ferris Research, said he imagines that the FCC could mandate that companies provide a free e-mail forwarding service, but doubts that it would

"Such a forwarding service would cost the service providers money in network bandwidth, server utilization and operational overhead," he wrote in an e-mail. "Service providers typically operate with low margins, relying on volume to make acceptable profit."

Government considers mandating Internet service providers to forward customers' e-mails [AP]
(Photo: bingbing)

His editorial is a laundry list of problems readers here are too familiar with. Verizon blocking politically charged text messages; AT&T slipping "we'll terminate your account for speaking badly of us" language into its terms; carriers pushing for a tiered network so they can charge different amounts for different types of data; or, carriers being hostile to consumer-friendly peer-to-peer and file sharing technology because it can't be controlled by the entertainment industry; the fact that the baby bells and their siblings are gradually reassembling like the Blob. He even drops in the fact that the U.S. lags behind far too many regulated countries in broadband capabilities, despite carrier claims that a hands-off approach will make us superior.

He closes with, "The hands-off approach hasn't served consumers well. And the Web is far too important to entrust the free flow of information to the shifting whims of a few big companies. Government must step in and tell them to leave our content alone." It's like a giant momma bird ate up all the complaints and documented misbehavior posted in The Consumerist over the past 12 months and spat it into the mouths of Business Week's print edition readers. Hooray.

"Get Your Hands Off the Web" [Business Week]
(Photo: Getty)

"Ms. Shaw's actions were certainly not appropriate under any circumstances and we hope that contributors to these online forums would discourage others from taking physical action against customer service employees."

The last thing they want people to do is start taking up hammers and smashing up Comcast offices across the country. Wouldn't that be the day, though? Consumers finally get so pissed at getting pushed around and not being listened to that they storm the gates of their least favorite customer service centers? Yes, we may not care about the steady erosion of our civil rights, but we'll be damned if we have to wait any longer for Weeds!

WP got more choice quotes from Mrs. Shaw:

"They cuffed me right then..."

Of Comcast: "What a bunch of sub-moronic imbeciles."

"I scared the tar out of some people, at least...It had never occurred to me to take a hammer to a phone company before, but I was just so upset. . . . After I hit the keyboard, I turned to this blonde who had been there the previous Friday, the one who told me to wait for the manager, and I said, ' Now do I have your attention?' "

"My blood pressure went up around my ears. I started hyperventilating. They had to call the rescue squad and put me on a litter."

A new American folk hero is born.

Taking a Whack Against Comcast [Washington Post] (Thanks to Tracey!)

Here's what it contains, in easy-to-skim bulletpoint format:

• Setting up a wiretap costs $1000, includes free month of surveillance, $750 for each additional month, all costs waived if it involves kiddie exploitation
• Can access call detail records for two years
• IP assignment address information kept for 180 days
• Comcast reminds law enforcement agencies of the specific statutes they need to follow if information requests have to do with people outside the country
• Proper procedure must be followed for using National Security Letters

Overall, pretty dry and hews well to statute.

Implementing Domestic Intelligence Surveillance [Secrecy News] (Thanks to Andy!)

• Electricity
• Gas
• Telephone
• Cellphone
• Cable/DSL
• Towing
• Railroads
• Movers

CCing your complaint letter to your state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) can help buff it up. Your PUC regulates these industries and is responsible for enforcing the law and investigating consumer complaints. Escalating your issue by sending it over there can make the offending company sit up and take more notice of your issue.

An alphabetical appendix of PUC websites by state is inside...

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgin Islands
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Comcast even has a system ready to go where if you exceed the limit a popup will ask you to purchase additional gigabytes, our source says. The graphical user interface is completely designed and everything, but Comcast hasn't deployed it, because they're waiting for either another ISP to do it first, or to figure out how to do it without angering their customers, whichever comes first.

CEO Brian Roberts is said to have seen a demo and given his thumbs up.

RELATED: Comcast Customer Uses "Unlimited Service" Excessively, Gets Disconnected For A Year
(Photo: cmorran123)

There are red flags to be found in each telecom provider's privacy policy. A close reading of Time Warner's policy reveals:

Along with knowing juicy details of your calling and viewing habits — those 900 numbers, say, or that subscription to the Playboy Channel — the company keeps track of "Internet addresses you contact and the duration of your visits to such addresses."

Time Warner not only compiles "information about how often and how long" you're online, but also "purchases that you have made" via the company's Road Runner portal, which provides access to thousands of goods.

On top of that, the company may monitor "information you publish" via the Road Runner portal, which should send a chill through anyone who accesses his or her e-mail through Time Warner's servers.

That's not to say Time Warner or any other service provider is reading people's e-mail or invading users' privacy in any other way. The point is, they're explicitly saying they could.

The unchecked accumulation of consumer data represents a monumental threat to consumers. Data is collected to be used. Precision marketing is a relatively innocuous manifestation of data mining when compared to the nightmare scenarios envisioned by civil libertarians.

Most troubling is that these revelations hid in broad daylight. The contracts signed by consumers are not secret, and yet nobody noticed that something was amiss until a reporter from the L.A. Times sat down and read the contract.

Your loss of privacy is a package deal [L.A. Times]
(Photo: ann-dabney)

A few seconds after you connect to someone in the swarm the Sandvine application sends a peer reset message (RST flag) and the upload immediately stops. Most vulnerable are users in a relatively small swarm where you only have a couple of peers you can upload the file to. Only seeding seems to be prevented, most users are able to upload to others while the download is still going, but once the download is finished, the upload speed drops to 0. Some users also report a significant drop in their download speeds, but this seems to be less widespread. Worse on private trackers, likely that this is because of the smaller swarm size.

"We're not blocking access to any application, and we don't throttle any traffic," says Charlie Douglas, a Comcast spokesman.

Douglas didn't explicitly deny the use of deep packet inspection or traffic shaping products. "[Comcast] has a responsibility to manage our network to ensure our customers have the best service, and we use available technologies to do so."

Comcast Throttles BitTorrent Traffic, Seeding Impossible [TorrentFreak]
(Photo: CarbonNYC)

So what do call center reps tell callers?

"We lie to them," Gates says. "We tell them, 'Absolutely, the technician will be there.'

A former cable company call center rep says: "We lie" to customers who ask when installer will arrive [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
(Photo: Mullenkedheim)

1. We have minimum specs for a reason
We have minimum specs to be able to fully use and enjoy the service. If your computer is held together with chewing gum and duct tape, or the last time you upgraded Cheers was in it's first season chances are your computer isn't going to be fast enough.

2. RTFTOS (Read the Free Terms of Service)!!!
There is a reason business class service costs more than residential class service. If you depend on our internet service to manage your business, trade stocks, or connect to your company, then you really need business class service. The residential class service agreement says, "For Entertainment purposes only"

(Photo: babyparentingguide)

3. Why thanks for calling, there is an outage in your area. Yes there is an outage, you don't think the cable company put hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment in your neighboorhood and then not monitor them? We can usually tell where there is a failure before the first call comes in. We really don't need 700 people to call.

4. I can fix your problem, I just can't fix you.
I have been trained in troubleshooting products we support. However if you called us because your printer quit working after your internet was installed, you are barking up the wrong tree.

5. Pay your bill.
I know this sounds simple, but if you get behind we disable your modem. It's that simple. I really don't need to argue with you about that. Make a payment over the phone and I'll be glad to turn it back on. I don't care if you have the next child prodigy who is 6 and writing a thesis and you need it turned back on for a few more hours. Funny thing is people who pay their service bills, have fewer problems with their service.

6. But I'm a PHD, MBA and a CPA!!!
Hey, you called me for help. If you don't want to follow the troubleshooting steps I'm giving you, then solve your own problem. I am a microsoft MCSE, A+ and Network Plus certified. I may not be a CISCO CCIE, but I ain't stupid. I will help you to the best of my ability, within the policies of the company.

7. But I've been on the phone for hours.
And so have I. It's a call center, we take calls. In fact we take LOTS of calls. I took between 30-40 calls in an 8 hour shift. Most calls are short 10-15 minutes. Some of them take a couple hours to solve. In an average month I take thousands of calls.

8. Don't call Ford to Complain about a slow Chevy.
Just like you, we rely on other carriers to transmit your internet packets to their destination. We can fix problems on our network, but once it's off our network and on the public internet (like Level 3 for instance) there is nothing we can do. Often if a customer calls in to complain about slow speed, we have them run a TRACERT which shows the path the packet takes to reach it's destination. So if Level 3 has a slow router which is causing a bottleneck, causing your game ping to spike, there is nothing we can do about it, because level 3 is not our network. We are just another customer to them.

9. Remain calm
Your frusterated, I understand. However, if someone is screaming at you at the top of their lungs, are you really going to be able to help them any better?

10. Try to call when you are actually having a problem
This also sounds simple, however quite a number of people call and say, "About a week ago I had a problem, what was the mater?" I don't know I haven't been provided with a time machine to go back in time. It is very hard to troubleshoot a problem that is intermittent, and it is always best to call when you are actually experiencing the problem.

Bonus tips

• It takes quite awhile to solve an areawide problem. Sometimes things break, and it slows everyone in an area down. Yes we know about the problem and we are trying our best to fix it. However, given that there are hundreds of miles of cable, associated equipment and stuff, as well as dealing with vendors of that equipment to solve a problem. Sometimes it can take days, weeks or months to bring an issue to a resolution.
• However, if you have become an "unprofitable" customer: IE many many truck rolls to your house, spending hours of tech time on the phone, you are likely to get a letter in the mail from the company attorney that you are getting the best service we can provide, however we can give you discount, or we encourage you to seek an alternate provider, but there will be no additional truck rolls. In some cases, they fire the customer totally, cancel their service and refuse to provide service to that residence again until it has a different occupant.

Dear Consumerist Editor,

I was recently billed $99.77 for a bill from Charter Communications. I had a deal with them to pay $64.91/month for 6 months (Sept. 2006 - Feb. 2007.) When my deal ran out they jacked up the price. I went to their website to see how I could contact them and found their 'chat live' button. I clicked on it and was greeted by a woman named Rudina. She was a horrible customer service representative and even worse in speaking, and spelling, proper English.

That conversation's chat log, and our take on what went wrong, inside...

Rudina: What is your phone number?
Andy: 1-906-XXX-XXXX
Rudina: Thank you.
Andy: Am I going to be billed any more?
Andy: Are you still there?
Rudina: You still have a current balance od 99.77.
Andy: Can that be taken off? I only signed up for 6 months and I paid for all 6 months already.
Rudina: Andy, you mean that you already paid the packages for the whole 6 months.
Andy: Yes. Sept.-Feb.
Rudina: How much you paid?
Andy: It was $64.91 each month.
Andy: and I paid 6 times.
Rudina: Andy, your bill is high because you are already been charge to our regular rates.
Andy: What?
Rudina: Andy, your bill is high because you are already been charge to our regular rates.
Andy: What?
Rudina: Sorry.
Rudina: It is ok because I am looking to your current account. This is for march account.
Andy: But I signed up for 6 months, paid for 6 months, and am now expected to pay 99.77 for the seventh month that I didn't sign up for?
Rudina: andy, yes you signed up and you still avialing the promotion however, your promotion will end this 2/27.
Rudina: Allyou payments are ok.
Andy: I am not going to pay 99.77 for a month I didn't sign up for...
Andy: Can you cancel that month and terminate my subscription?
Rudina: Andy, are you aware that billing system in charter are 1 month advance?
Andy: Yes.
Rudina: Ok.
Andy: What I am saying is that I was billed for March, but my contract only went to February.
Rudina: The 99.77 bill is your current account. According to our database the charge of your services dated 2/28 will carry now the regular rates because your promotion will end this 2/27/
Rudina: Is there anything else I can help you with today?
Andy: I signed a contract to pay $64.91 for 6 months and now I am being charged for a 7th month at a rate of 99.77?
Rudina: Yes you had signed that contract. I don't that one.
Andy: What?
Rudina: I can also see all your payments made.
Andy: then why am I still expected to pay for something that I didn't sign up for?
Rudina: Your login is lisaxxxxxxx and your password is chtrxxxxx.
Rudina: Please try your login and password.
Andy: no.
Andy: my login is xxxxxxxxxx
Rudina: Sorry.
Rudina: Sorry.
Rudina: Is there anything else I can help you with today?
Andy: are you kidding me?
Andy: I want that bill retracted immediately.
Rudina: I will send your current bill.
Rudina: Thank you for using Charter Communications' Chat Support. Have a great day!
[Rudina - user has closed this session]

As you can see the lady (I'm assuming it was a lady) gave out a login and password... and it wasn't even mine! She didn't answer my questions properly (most of her answers I couldn't even understand.) I wanted to bring this to your attention to warn other Charter customers and potential Charter customers that their customer service department has at least one poor employee. They should be careful.

In general, Rudina made no attempt to resolve Andy's concern except by a garbled parroting of company policy.

Specifically, she

• Failed to communicate the policy behind the introductory rate
• Gave away another user's login and password
• Didn't use English correctly, undermining customer trust
• Ended the interaction without fixing the issue or getting the A-OK signal from Andy

Lastly, someone with the name Rudina is probably not destined for customer service greatness. — BEN POPKEN

Little is said on the ISP's part, so in the interest of fairness, let us present several links explaining why Net Neutrality is the worst thing since moldy bread. — BEN POPKEN

• Mike McCury: It's important to upgrade the "creaky" internet.
• Scott Cleland: Net Neutrality = Socialism
• Hands Off The Internet: Grassroots anti-net neutrality group, except that it's funded by telcos.
• Don't Regulate! Faux-amateur animation explains how Net Neutrality is a plot to replace network admins with fat cat bureaucrats.
• Debunking Net Neutrality Myths: Telco-sponsored blog debunking the "myth" of Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality is a unicorn.
• National Cable & Telecommunications Association's 30-second political style ad against Net Neutrality. While you're there, visit the sidebar items under the heading, "Cable: A Great American Success Story."

John Stewart expressed frustration over our publication of "partially incorrect" TWC contact phone numbers. Since both those posts occurred, he says he's had, "an increase of calls where people request I fix their bill and advise me of your article."

"Internal documentation I am not permitted to show non-employees by NDA specifically forbids us from providing billing credits," he says.

"At the very least, this article has made it harder for Level 3 agents to do their job, and harder for people to reach Level 3 agents because we spend all day redirecting billing inquiries to Customer Service. Level 3 as phone operator = Level 3 not troubleshooting legitimate issues. "

As far as inability to fix billing goes, well, that's his word against Mike's, but one thing's for certain...

Use the phone numbers and info we gave you for good, not stupidity. Don't turbo to Level 3 for a billing issue. Don't turbo to Level 3 unless you've already gone through Level 1 and 2 and they have refused to fix your TECHNICAL problem. Keyword: T-E-C-H-N-I-C-A-L.

Thank you and have a nice day.

L3 refers to "Level 3" tech support, the level at which the reps actually know how to fix problems. They can do more than simply tell you to turn your modem on and off.

On his last phone call, Mike asked for L3 and was patched through immediately.

He says, "The L3 agent who responded spent about five minutes with me troubleshooting before telling me I needed a new modem. He set up the time and place I could pick it up, and even gave me a refund for the three months of non-service."

If you have a seemingly irresolvable Time Warner Cable connectivity problem, asking for L3 may do the trick.

Just don't tell the laminated binders, they suffer from low self-esteem.

We believe this is called "telemarketing."

He explained to the rep, "...the only reason I had AOL as long as I did was that I had set my father up with a screen name six years ago and didn't have the heart to make him change to another ISP and e-mail system....Well, pops is [dead]...and hence my cancellation. Sorry, but I'd rather stick bamboo chutes under my fingernails than use AOL."

Instead of hundreds of discs in the mailbox, perhaps America can look forward to a currently unspecified number of calls on the phone line...

Bonus game: What issue of 2600 contained an article about the Merlin program used by retention consultants?

Time Warner bought Adelphia's assets in California, plus Comcast's. TW and Comcast are divvying up Adelphia's old subscriber base in a series of deals playing out on the local level acro