In a somewhat perplexing (okay, maybe
not so
much) release from Verizon, it is essentially crawling to the FCC and begging that it assist the telco in bolstering its own market share. How so? By enabling cable subscribers to jump ship without even notifying their cable company, that's how. More specifically, it's seeking to banish "a significant obstacle to consumer choice and competition in the market for bundled communications services" by allowing disconnect orders from the new provider (read: Verizon) to take the place of, you know, the customer calling up their carrier and shutting things down. Verizon argues that said procedure "significantly complicates the process of switching video providers, thereby entrenching the cable incumbents' dominant market position." Beyond the inordinately high level of ridiculousness crammed into those statements, we wonder if Verizon's all geared up to start receiving similar letters from Comcast, Cablevision and the whole gang should any of its customers decide to walk away in silence.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
musky @ Mar 26th 2008 1:04PM
Actually that's pretty much how auto insurance works. It relieves the consumer from having to fight off aggressive retention sales people on the down side these same aggressive retention sales people have been know to offer great deals to stop someone from leaving.
MHAithaca @ Mar 26th 2008 1:37PM
Well, since the consumer can sit back and let cellular providers call up the landline companies (i.e. Verizon) to handle that cancellation, it's only fair that the landline companies be allowed to convey the similar bad news to the cable companies. :-)
I would totally jump to FiOS given the chance. I don't like paying Time Warner when I can avoid it, but at the moment, I can't avoid it.
Ducson Nguyen @ Mar 26th 2008 1:42PM
Couldn't agree with the above posters more. It's not "ridiculous" at all. It was awesome when I dumped Verizon as a cell phone provider and I didn't have to call them. Likewise, if/when FiOS comes to my area, I'd love to dump Comcast just as easily.
Simon P @ Mar 26th 2008 3:48PM
While I wholeheartedly agree that we shouldn't "have" to call the companies we're dumping and should be allowed to let our new companies take care of that for us.....as someone who just dumped TWC for U-verse, I can't begin to tell you how much fun it was calling TWC to let them know I was leaving. They practically cried and begged and offered me cheaper service. It may be an indication of how sad my life is...but that was a great phone call.
In fact if you know U-verse/Fios is in/near your area, call your provider and tell them you're thinking of leaving. See what great offers you may just all of a sudden qualify for......
freeblue @ Mar 26th 2008 2:03PM
it seems a good ideal letting the company control your account?? i don't think so. after dealing with the AT$T cancelled my landline and opened a business line on my home phone (without me knowing or my authorization, i don't even have a business), and I had to call them up to fix the whole mess. 1 week of callings, 10+ operators, and three months and counting.
I will never ever let ANY COMPANY to cancel and change my service to theirs, at will, without notifying me first. They can say it's a "computer error" or a "mistake" all they wanted, I still like to have control over opening and canceling of the services that I want.
UnnDunn @ Mar 26th 2008 2:12PM
Yeah, if you get phone service from Time Warner Cable, they will cancel your Verizon service on your behalf (if requested.) Don't see why Verizon shouldn't be able to do the same.
kurt @ Mar 26th 2008 2:47PM
The rant about how AT$T cancelled a home line and put in a business line instead is interesting and I understand why the poster was frustrated, but I suspect that kind of mistake is quite rare. In most cases you have to check a box on a new application stating that you give permission for the old service to be cancelled.
With that safeguard in place, its hard to see why people should have to stay on hold for hours and argue like a high-school debate champion before being 'allowed' to cancel their cable service.
Big Wizz @ Mar 26th 2008 3:00PM
Actually, the podcasts guys slam both SAT and Cable equally.
Did you discover who shot JFK yet?
Brendan @ Mar 26th 2008 3:05PM
It doesn't make one a conspiracy theorist to want full disclosure from journalists, sometimes engadget mentions it sometimes they don't. Since you brought it up though, the grassy knoll itself shot JFK.
RC @ Mar 26th 2008 3:13PM
Someone tell Verizon to stop doing the same with their customers. I switched my landline with Verizon to Comcast because of a bundle they were offering. Saved me much more than what I would had paid to Verizon. But on the other hand ever since I made the switch they have been sending twice as many flies to switch to FiOS and I now get calls about it.
RC @ Mar 26th 2008 3:15PM
Should be "fliers" to switch to FiOS, not "flies".
Also when I switched off DSL the customer service rep told me "I would regret switching off of DSL". Oh please. I've had ONE modem for the 5 years I've had cable opposed to the 10 modems I had in 2 years of DSL. And the speed is so much better.
Michael @ Mar 26th 2008 6:19PM
Working at an ISP myself I don't like the idea of Verizon doing this, because they probably wont follow through. On MANY occations I've had irate people call in because my companny is still billing them for something they arent using, they assume it was cancelled because they switched to another provider a few months before and were told they'll take care of everything, well they never do.
Michael @ Mar 26th 2008 6:22PM
let me add that is mostly with internet of course, when phone lines come in usually there is more thorough work on getting things changed over since porting/transferring phone numbers to other services is getting pretty common.
vindansam @ Mar 26th 2008 8:20PM
I actually like this idea, as I am in such a dispute right now where my cable company is having "trouble" porting my number back to Verizon. Like previous posters have said, if the big price-gouging cable companies can do it, why can't a big(and terrible) telco company(a.k.a. Verizon) do it? Their video PQ is truly amazing, that sometimes, it's worth the possibly slightly higher price(and trouble of changing your phone provider).
longhairbilly @ Mar 26th 2008 10:52PM
I don't like it. It's my service, when I am done with it I will call and cancel, and I will let them know why I am doing so.
Brian Bock @ Mar 27th 2008 4:43PM
This is a BAD idea. I hope the FCC won't allow this. In the long distance field there is "slamming" where a rival long distance company will call your current long distance carrier and cancel your service and put you onto their service. It happens to me every few years. The last thing I want is to come home and find out my cable doesn't work because someone has hijacked my account. Obviously it wouldn't be as seemless anyway. Most of us have equipment that needs to be returned and new equipment that needs to be installed.