The FCC Fines Comcast For Unwanted Service Charges

[IInuyasha74]

The FCC fined Comcast $2.3 million for placing unauthorized items on users’ bills. The settlement, which Comcast agreed to, will also help guard against this happening again in the next few years, but it falls short of fixing the problem permanently.

The FCC Fines Comcast For Unwanted Service Charges : Read more

 

[LFCavalcanti]

I'm surprised the USA don't have a law stating that companies can't charge products or services they don't have explicit concent from the consumer. Even here in Brazil this is very clear in law.

 

[IInuyasha74]

I'm surprised the USA don't have a law stating that companies can't charge products or services they don't have explicit concent from the consumer. Even here in Brazil this is very clear in law.

We do have that law. Comcast broke it, and was fined for it.

 

[targetdrone]

Total slap on the wrist if you ask me. $2 million dollars is nothing to Comcast and they'll make up for that loss by raising rates again and then come up with a new illegal billing practice to rip off customers once again.

The only way to stop this type of behavior is to start throwing CEOs and other high level people in jail.

 

[targetdrone]

I'm surprised the USA don't have a law stating that companies can't charge products or services they don't have explicit concent from the consumer. Even here in Brazil this is very clear in law.

In America you can buy the laws you want, you just need to write a big enough check.

 

[derekullo]

The FCC Fines Comcast For Unwanted Service Charges.

Comcast fines customers to pay fine.

It's a vicious cycle.

 

[targetdrone]

The FCC Fines Comcast For Unwanted Service Charges.

Comcast fines customers to pay fine.

It's a vicious cycle.

It's basic economics. Companies do not pay taxes or fines because they always pass those costs onto the consumer.

 

[DookieDraws]

Damn making them pay a weak fine! Why don't the FCC make Comeycast lower all current customer's bills by 50% for the next year or so? Quit playing with these bass turds and show them you mean business, FCC. Put a hurtin' on them like they've been doing us customers for so long. Until Comeycast is severely punished, they will continue their dishonest, unlawful ways.

What a joke!

 

[10tacle]

This went on for a while because not enough people spoke up about it loud enough. Many probably weren't even aware they were getting nickel and dimed illegally.

I cannot emphasize enough that this is what we Americans have representatives in Congress for. If US House Representatives and US Senators get enough emails from people across the nation complaining about the same thing, they will listen and take action.

This needs legislative action and changes to the laws and penalties. Contacting the FCC directly to complain won't do much other than band aid the problem as seen here.

 

[jeremy2020]

Oh, no, 2.3 million. I'm sure they'll never take advantage of their customers again.

These CEOs who make this a business practice need to start going to jail.

 

[GorillaMike713]

Blah. I'm glad I'm leaving Comcast for Google Fiber (about to be available in my area. Comcast sucks @$$

 

[rayden54]

This went on for a while because not enough people spoke up about it loud enough. Many probably weren't even aware they were getting nickel and dimed illegally.

I cannot emphasize enough that this is what we Americans have representatives in Congress for. If US House Representatives and US Senators get enough emails from people across the nation complaining about the same thing, they will listen and take action.

This needs legislative action and changes to the laws and penalties. Contacting the FCC directly to complain won't do much other than band aid the problem as seen here.

Have you ever tried reading those bills. Half a dozen different taxes and fees even when they aren't trying to screw you.

Knowing who to contact isn't going to help much if you can't tell what you're supposed to be paying in the first place. Unless you're advocating for transparency laws in which case I agree completely.

 

[DookieDraws]

Comcast releases an official response to the FCC fine. You may see it here. http://wtfseo.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Ud6krzOUaQiVrbx4IWkuzUrMD8vWr4qbG1wMtmWKQ94r7Doi6fybXXnACJoLFtKR-lol.png

 

[none12345]

Fined about 1/100th of one percent of their profits(not revenue). They were fined about 1-2 hours worth of profits.

Im sure they will never do anythig like this again with such a HUGE fine....such a joke....

 

[falchard]

The problem with these practices is that Comcast will go out of business within the next couple decades. Cities around the country are easing up on their right of way rules so the Cable and Telecom providers are going to have competition that will sell on offering a better service that treats the customer respectably. Recently, Time Warner Cable had to rebrand itself due to the shitty service they offered for over a decade.

 

[leo2kp]

"You've hurt your customers and charged them unnecessary fees. Instead of reimbursing your customers, just give us a percentage of what you stole and we'll forget it ever happened." - FCC

 

[jaber2]

Comcast owns the monopoly's in its territory, unless we break those we will continue seeing this type of behavior from companies that don't have to worry about abiding to the laws

 

[olin9]

Yes, but how do we get a refund. They charge me ($15 extra) a month for 2 devices that I did not have for over 10 years. After complaining 4 times, they took the items off my bill, but only gave a 3 month credit. They also, add TV to my bill and charge me for it for over a year and I did not have cable TV. They told me it was my fault for not using the service that they added without informing me.

Note: Comcast is the fast internet in our area by far. Lowest cable TV (no HBO, showtime, or sports package) with the 40 MB internet is about $130 a month.

 

[grimfox]

Hmm they recently added a data cap to my service which I did not ask for. This is probably what the FCC was referring too. I'm sure I'll see a small unexplained bump in the "taxes and fees" section of my bill next month too.