Comcast Cable Sucks!
October 30th 2007 18:51
I have a few issues with Comcast, not the least of which is my feeling that they are overpriced. Still, their actions this week sealed my decision. First, they admitted to interfering with the internet usage of customers. Apparently, Comcast is concerned that peer-to-peer usage is taking too much of their bandwith. The same bandwith that they feel compelled to charge quite abit for, naturally. Some say the type of traffic they are blocking is primarily used for pirating songs and the like. The trouble is, peer-to-peer has many legitimate uses too. And they have no way of knowing which is which. What Comcast was caught doing is essentially impersonating users and initiating a shutdown of the upload/download.
MSNBC reported on October 19th that the action used to interrupt the file sharing was akin to having a phone company interrupt a conversation between two people by having an operator come on, and in one person's voice, saying to the other "I'm sorry, I have to go now." Startling enough in and of itself. Then came the "other shoe."
Effective today in the Portland, Oregon metro area, Comcast moved MSNBC to the digital tier. Yesterday, I took the two DVRs from my household to their office and told them I wasn't interested in their "service" any longer. Wait a minute, you might ask....if I had two DVRs, wasn't I already on a digital tier? Yes I was. it's the point. Especially when looked at in context. When MSNBC is making a move to more coverage that questions the Bush Administration and when the most vocal voice against Mr. Bush and his corporate cronies is MSNBC's Kieth Olbermann. Maybe a coincidence? Sure. But why MSNBC?
On the Comcast analog lineup (basic cable) you can still find FOX, CNN, Headline News, and even CNBC. You can also watch religious programming, a couple of cartoon channels, the new network ION, some shopping channels, home channels, and yes - even the golf channel. The slot MSNBC formerly had here (Ch. 47) is now occupied by the Weather Channel. So I ask again....why MSNBC?
Now I have another decision to make. I still have Comcast for my internet and the only other choice in my area is Verizon. I have issues with them too for rolling over and giving the Bush Administration access to their customers for "national security." And remember - they did it before the 9/11 attacks, so there goes that excuse. Do I want to go with an internet provider that might impersonate me, or one that gives my info over to the Bush machine without warrant or cause?
What is again highlighted is the need for every American to support net neutrality. The internet needs to remain open to all users, regardless of how much they pay or what their political motivations might be. And the Portland area isn't the only place where they have moved MSNBC. If you are a Comcast customer, call them and ask why they did what they did, and why they are impersonating their customers on the internet.
MSNBC reported on October 19th that the action used to interrupt the file sharing was akin to having a phone company interrupt a conversation between two people by having an operator come on, and in one person's voice, saying to the other "I'm sorry, I have to go now." Startling enough in and of itself. Then came the "other shoe."
Effective today in the Portland, Oregon metro area, Comcast moved MSNBC to the digital tier. Yesterday, I took the two DVRs from my household to their office and told them I wasn't interested in their "service" any longer. Wait a minute, you might ask....if I had two DVRs, wasn't I already on a digital tier? Yes I was. it's the point. Especially when looked at in context. When MSNBC is making a move to more coverage that questions the Bush Administration and when the most vocal voice against Mr. Bush and his corporate cronies is MSNBC's Kieth Olbermann. Maybe a coincidence? Sure. But why MSNBC?
On the Comcast analog lineup (basic cable) you can still find FOX, CNN, Headline News, and even CNBC. You can also watch religious programming, a couple of cartoon channels, the new network ION, some shopping channels, home channels, and yes - even the golf channel. The slot MSNBC formerly had here (Ch. 47) is now occupied by the Weather Channel. So I ask again....why MSNBC?
Now I have another decision to make. I still have Comcast for my internet and the only other choice in my area is Verizon. I have issues with them too for rolling over and giving the Bush Administration access to their customers for "national security." And remember - they did it before the 9/11 attacks, so there goes that excuse. Do I want to go with an internet provider that might impersonate me, or one that gives my info over to the Bush machine without warrant or cause?
What is again highlighted is the need for every American to support net neutrality. The internet needs to remain open to all users, regardless of how much they pay or what their political motivations might be. And the Portland area isn't the only place where they have moved MSNBC. If you are a Comcast customer, call them and ask why they did what they did, and why they are impersonating their customers on the internet.
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