Even with bought-and-paid-for Senators urging the FCC to hurry up its review of the pending merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, there is only so much the regulators can do when they don’t have the documents they need to complete that review. That’s why the FCC has once again hit the pause button on the time clock for this mega-merger. [More]
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Comcast Lobbyists Know How To Win Over D.C. Power Players — With Decent Customer Service
By 12.22.14
Sure, Comcast has no problem throwing around hundreds of thousands of dollars to win support from lawmakers who are willing to regurgitate whatever David Cohen tells them to say, but the company also knows how to really win people over to its side — by providing them access to customer service that isn’t horrible. [More]
Consumer Advocates Head Back To FCC, Continue Urging Agency To Reject Comcast/TWC Merger
By 12.17.14
After a long pause, the FCC’s review of the Comcast/TWC merger is back underway. Now, the wave of comments in response to Comcast’s last data dump are starting to roll in, once again asking the agency to block the merger. [More]
Comcast, Charter, TWC All Admit That Strong Net Neutrality Rules Won’t Actually Be The End Of The World
By 12.16.14
Every single one of the big ISPs has been spending the better part of a year telling both the government and the public that using Title II to regulate net neutrality would be so counterproductive, ineffective, and unlawful that it would ruin the whole internet for everyone forever. Their main threat has been that with tighter regulation, they will stop spending money investing in networks. But to their investors, company executives are telling a different tale entirely: Comcast, Charter, and Time Warner Cable have now joined Verizon in admitting that from an investment standpoint, Title II won’t really harm them or change much of anything at all. [More]
Roku And Comcast Finally Make Nice, Will Allow HBO Go And Showtime Apps
By 12.16.14
A personal anecdote, if you’ll allow… A few years back, I — ever a good son — bought my mother a Roku box for her TV (that I’d also bought her), only to find out that she, like millions of other Comcast subscribers, was not allowed to access the device’s HBO Go app because she’s a Comcast customer. But those darks days are coming to an end, now that Kabletown and Roku are suddenly buddies. [More]
HBO Go Now On Amazon Fire TV Boxes (Not So Fast, Comcast Customers)
By 12.15.14
The Amazon Fire TV set-top box just got a lot more worthwhile for people wanting to add HBO to TVs without getting additional cable boxes. That is, unless you’re a Comcast customer. [More]
Here’s What $184K In Campaign Contributions Gets Comcast — A Letter Of Support From Two Senators
By 12.11.14
Earlier today, the two U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania put aside partisan squabbling for a moment to agree that the only things more awesome than campaign contributions from Comcast are the things Comcast has told us are really cool about its pending merger with Time Warner Cable. [More]
Comcast Will Send A New Cable Modem Whether You Order One Or Not
By 12.11.14
Most people assume that their Internet service provider isn’t going to behave in a similar manner to the very shadiest of computer malware and virus mongers. Apparently, they shouldn’t, especially if they are customers of Comcast. Consumer reporter Bob Sullivan and one of his readers both clicked one link to trigger the shipment of a new piece of equipment that neither of them wanted. [More]
Comcast Customers Sue Cable Giant For Making Their Home Routers Into Wifi Hotspots
By 12.9.14
Of course Comcast customers can connect to Comcast wifi at home. That’s the point. But Comcast wants Comcast customers to be able to connect to Comcast wifi no matter where they are. To that end, they’re building a massive nationwide network of hotspots for their Xfinity customers… by using their other Xfinity customers as a source. The service has been controversial since Comcast first announced it, and now that controversy has turned into legal trouble. [More]
Comcast Customers Complain About E-Mails Pushing Modem Upgrades
By 12.8.14
It’s nothing new for a cable company to send out e-mails urging customers to upgrade to the latest technology. It’s another for those e-mails to include links that automatically opt you in to that upgrade without warning. [More]
Comcast Forgets To Delete Revealing Note From Blog Post
By 12.3.14
Earlier today, Comcast published a blog post to criticize the newly announced coalition opposing its merger with Time Warner Cable and to cheer about the FCC’s decision to restart the “shot clock” on that deal. But someone at Kabletown is probably getting a stern talking-to right now, after an accidental nugget of honesty made its way into that post. [More]
New Coalition Steps Up To Fight “Mega Comcast” Merger As FCC Restarts Review Clock
By 12.3.14
It’s the plot of a certain kind of action movie or video game that we’ve all seen and played a thousand times: the big bad robot/alien/lizard comes crashing into town and the only thing that will stop it is when an unlikely band of allies group up and save the world. If politics and business are a game, as so many participants seem to think, then now they are apparently one of that genre, as an unlikely band of allies is now grouping together under one banner to fight the Comcast/Time Warner Cable mega-merger. [More]
Court Bars FCC From Disclosing How Much Comcast, DirecTV Pay Broadcasters
By 11.21.14
Last week’s last-minute legal battle between just about every major TV broadcaster and the FCC came to a quietly disappointing conclusion this morning, with a federal appeals court refusing to allow the government to share confidential details about the mergers of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, and DirecTV and AT&T. [More]
Is Comcast’s New Appointment Tracker A Time Saver Or An Unrealistic Concept?
By 11.20.14
We all know that time is precious, and for once it seems like Comcast is agreeing with consumers on that point. The company, which has a decidedly checkered consumer relationship, unveiled a new attempt to project a more consumer-friendly appearance by beginning tests of a new app that allows people waiting on a service call to track where a technician is currently located. [More]
Charter Ready To Woo Time Warner Cable Again If Comcast Fails
By 11.20.14
Not even a year ago, Time Warner Cable was spurning the romantic advances of Charter Communications and its $37.3 billion offer of wedded bliss, all because it knew that Comcast was waiting in the wings with a more expensive proposal. But in case the Comcast/TWC marriage fails to get the blessing of federal regulators, Charter’s billionaire backer says he’s ready to be Time Warner Cable’s rebound relationship. [More]
Comcast Hits Man With $2,789 Fee For Moving To Area Not Served By Comcast
By 11.19.14
When a Tennessee graphic designer decided to move an hour away, Comcast originally told him that he could move his business-class service and even set up an appointment for installation. But when the Comcast installer never showed up, the company finally told the man that (A) his new address wasn’t served by Comcast and (B) he owes the company nearly $3,000 in early termination fees. [More]
Broadcasters Get Court To Stop Consumers From Seeing How Much Cable Companies Pay For Content
By 11.14.14
The FCC is currently mulling over whether to give its stamp of approval to two huge mergers — Comcast/Time Warner Cable and AT&T/DirecTV — and is intending to make information available to third parties about the deals that that these pay-TV giants make with broadcasters. But even though you and every other cable subscriber wants to know exactly how much Comcast pays for access to channels like ESPN, MTV, and the major networks, the broadcasters want that info kept under lock and key — and they’ve asked the court to stop it from possibly going public. [More]
Comcast Introduces Talking TV Guide For Visually Impaired
By 11.12.14
Fifteen months ago, we told you that Comcast was developing a talking version of its TV listings for use by visually impaired subscribers. Today, the company announced that it will be introducing the feature to users on its X1 platform. [More]
