Uh Oh, Comcast CEO Says TWC Merger 'Full Steam Ahead'

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blaint

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Apr 30, 2014
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If the FCC permits the merger, I'm cancelling TWC immediately. Too many horror stories about Comcast customer service. Going to encourage all my friends and family to do the same.

Unfortunately I think my only other option is ATT, but it's the principle of the matter. I encourage all of you out there to do the same, hit em in the wallet.
 

Altheran

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"Comcast's defense against the monopolistic behavior argument is that Comcast and TWC do not operate in the same areas anyway, with only a very small coverage overlap area."

I kinda agree with that :/ How is it an issue if they don't really compete against one another anyways ...

Is it not better to have 3-4 Big Pan-American Telcos Competing each other everywhere rather than 20 that never get on each others lawn ???

Try menacing to go to a competitors for bad service/price when at your address, there is no other option :/ Wut ? U gonna move ? lol
 


There are two problems with your idea. First is that Comcast and Time Warner do not compete as it is now. If they currently aren't competing, it only makes it worse when they combine. The second is vertical leverage. If the merger goes though they will pretty much be able to dictate the pricing for services over the internet. Seeing as both companies have media investments, you can imagine that they will charge competitors an arm and a leg. In addition to that, what's the point of increasing internet speed for Comcast? They can block any small startups and they are the only cable provider in town. They could charge $100 for 10Mbps if they wanted.

They say that this merger won't reduce competition but that's only because there's none in most areas to begin with. I only have one choice for high speed in my area. Doubling the worst company in america's size have bad written all over it.
 

somebodyspecial

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This better get blocked. We need more competition not less and not competing on the same turf is exactly the problem here. THEY SHOULD BE! This does nothing but hurt customers even more than already with these two controlling as much as they do now alone.
 

Eli_M

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I say, give hem everything they ever wanted, all at once. Everything in a single day with a small timeline to go ahead and fully take advantages of all the new gains.

Then sit back and watch the beast first vomit and then stagger off and die form a ruptured stomach.

They cant help themselves, give them everything and its absolutely inevitable they will start trying to pull the biggest fleecing imaginable and then THAT will be impossible to ignore, even for a company shill installed to regulate them.
 

MessengerofDeath

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The big stock holders of TWC need to step up and step in to shake the company up. Fire the CEO and everyone who's leading it now. Then hire new people that will hopefully make the company more competitive and profitable for the future.
 

nbelote

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Windstream has a monopoly where I live; they bribe their way into keeping other providers out. Their service is terrible and their technicians do nothing about it. If even Comcast, with their terrible customer service, were to come down my street, they'd be welcomed with open arms.
 

nbelote

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Windstream has a monopoly where I live; they bribe their way into keeping other providers out. Their service is terrible and their technicians do nothing about it. If even Comcast, with their terrible customer service, were to come down my street, they'd be welcomed with open arms.
 

DasBoot

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Cable companies don't fight over the same customer now.
I have cablevision but I can't get comcast or twc even if i wanted to, only telcos like verizon and att are the direct competitors.
Now I'll bet this goes through IF the fcc makes them stick to net neutrality rules.
Then the fcc chairman will take the credit for launching net neutrality since now that the biggest is locked down, the rest will fall.

That is how this is going to play out.
 

DasBoot

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Also having cable (fiber or coax) based service is really limited to most area by something as simple as pole space. Next time you are out, take a look at your typical telephone pole. There are OSHA restrictions on the spacing and distance to the ground for each service. These rules usually limit what is on your typical 30ft pole to high power distribution, local power distribution, telco and then cable. there isn't much room left on the pole for much more. ;)

of course this doesn't apply to underground, but I live in an underground area and Fios didn't even build here due to the costs involved so my only TV choice is cablevision or a SAT service.
 

unbreakable926

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To my understanding, Comcast is the only ISP bound to the FCC's rules for Open Internet defined in 2010. They agreed to conform to these standards if the FCC we're to approve the purchase of NBCUniversal. Considering that Comcast is offering to extend these rules to TWC subscribers may give the FCC enough reason to permit the merger because of all of the pressure FCC is getting for Net Neutrality. So then, what is more important, not worsening the oligopoly state of the broadband market or extending Open Internet regulations to another 10 million or so households?
 

Eisbrecher34

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"Comcast's defense against the monopolistic behavior argument is that Comcast and TWC do not operate in the same areas anyway, with only a very small coverage overlap area."

Heh heh, I use that excuse too while I'm, playing a game of Civ. "Hey man don't worry that I control 75% of the world, its okay because I'm not currently competing with you!"
 

JohnUSA

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To SOB Brian Roberts,
I am a Comcast customer, unfortunately for many years, and I hate you and your lousy, despicable and greedy company.
All I want to say here so world will know how I feel about you and Comcast is that may a thousand camels pee on you and make you drown.
May you die and go to hell ASAP.
 

Jay 137

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Nov 16, 2014
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Its easier for a few companies to collude to raise prices and stifle new competition out of the market.. How the FCC would let this go through surely shows that corruption in this endevour is at the heart of it ... Competition has always been how new innovations and faster better service increases... When a company is bloated by monopoly, they get lazy and rather than WORK to get new customers they just give themselves a RAISE by screwing everyone with higher prices and less service ... ..
 

Jay 137

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Nov 16, 2014
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Its easier for a few companies to collude to raise prices and stifle new competition out of the market.. How the FCC would let this go through surely shows that corruption in this endevour is at the heart of it ... Competition has always been how new innovations and faster better service increases... When a company is bloated by monopoly, they get lazy and rather than WORK to get new customers they just give themselves a RAISE by screwing everyone with higher prices and less service ... ..
 

Jay 137

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Nov 16, 2014
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Its easier for a few companies to collude to raise prices and stifle new competition out of the market.. How the FCC would let this go through surely shows that corruption in this endevour is at the heart of it ... Competition has always been how new innovations and faster better service increases... When a company is bloated by monopoly, they get lazy and rather than WORK to get new customers they just give themselves a RAISE by screwing everyone with higher prices and less service ... ..
 

falchard

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Will probably improve TWCs service. I have worked for Time Warner Cable, and their system is a mess. The only way to make a decent living working with Time Warner is to do a bad job from the get go. They pretty much set you up to fail and don't provide adequate tools to do a good job. I'm pretty glad I live in a Cox Service area. I definitely make my choices in living area based on the ISPs.
The old 2 provider system will end within the next 10 years. The tech is out there and being built. The only thing saving Comcast from competition will be municipalities they bribe to keep competition out.
 

tdenton1138

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"Comcast, which employs more than 100 lobbyists, spent almost $19 million last year on lobbying activities. Its president and CEO, Brian L. Roberts, is a golf buddy of President Obama’s, and a Democratic donor who has contributed thousands of dollars not only to the president’s campaigns, but also to the Democratic party of Pennsylvania, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the DNC Services Corporation, and to Steny Hoyer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Bob Casey. Roberts’s executive vice president, David Cohen, is a former aide to Democratic bigwig Ed Rendell. Cohen skirts lobbying regulations through loopholes, has raised more than $2 million for Obama since 2007, and in 2011 hosted a DNC fundraiser at which the president called him “friend.” Cohen has visited the White House 14 times since 2010, including two visits to the Oval Office."

Its a fait accompli unless the Republican members of the FCC block it. But perhaps Comcast bought them as well... we'll see who votes how soon enough.
 

somebodyspecial

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ROFL. They aren't in power until Jan. Jeez...Why do you think Obama is trying to get every executive order in etc before then? :sarcastic:
 
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