http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/ Engadget Comments for Verizon whines to FCC: make it easier for us to gain market share http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 12:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
When I tried to give Comcast an opportunity to offer a deal before I switched Verizon FIOS internet service, I got the response 'we'll offer you nussing (nothing)'. When I told them that once FIOS TV would be in my neighborhood soon and I'd also be switching my TV service, I heard dead air.

It's laughable that a company would not offer you anything to keep you from switching. That is, until you realize that the price fixing that is evidently been established between the two (site Verizon's early rise in FIOS TV rates) keeps them both happy regardless of churn.
]]>Mar 26th 2008 1:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 3:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
No, company A doesn't get my service until I SAY they get my service. And company B's service doesn't stop until I SAY it stops. BTW, this is yet another reason not to put bills on autopay. You get paid when I push the button (or write the check), not before.]]>Mar 26th 2008 9:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 27th 2008 12:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
It is unbelievable the bullshit that Verizon thinks they can push on the consumer.

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The Blurgh]]>Mar 26th 2008 1:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 6:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 6:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
I was like "AHAHAHAHAHAHAH WHAT ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS?!?!, No Ma'am, I think I'll be better off paying the $75/m Verizon charges me that's good FOREVER"

Still, Verizon is just as bad as Comcast. Sure, Bittorrent is faster and the 15Mbps down is good. The HD is MUCH better quality. But customer service, SUCKS HORRIBLY. ANd still, no FX in HD. That means "Rescue Me" won't be in HD unless I get Satellite.]]>Mar 26th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
In most cases, you don't sign a contract for cable service for a particular term other than month to month. So, in that regard, it is pretty easy to switch. Verizon's whole argument is off base. Calling my cable company to turn off service and return my box is not a big deal. I mean, I lease the box. If I bought the box, it would be easier.

Actually, say I got a discount on buying the box, and maybe even a greater discount if I decided to get a new one every two years. All in the hopes that I would microtransaction myself into a second mortgage by virtue of music downloads, web services, etc. via the box. If anything, Verizon might awake the cable giants into realizing that they could make a boat load more money by operating this way. If you think about it, set-top boxes are not much more expensive then the undiscounted mid- to high-end phones out today. Granted, they're not portable.....hey, wait a minute, if a cable giant commissioned set-top box makers to innovate into a smaller form factor to encourage people to transport them, they might be on to something there. Maybe not carry it around in your pocket, but maybe into your car....maybe you lease or buy one for the house and one for the car and sync up premium media to both....

I digress, but Christ, I would just be happy if the set-top box I have from Comcast didn't barf when I try to watch the Bourne Ultimatum on demand.]]>Mar 26th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 5:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
Unfortunately, they have lots of trouble reading the story they're writing about and deciding whether it's a good thing or bad thing without just going by their feelings for the company they are writing about.]]>Mar 26th 2008 6:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/

Something about a superior product and superior customer service or something?]]>Mar 26th 2008 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
In NC my father had this problem where long distance phone companies kept calling his business phone company up and saying he wanted to switch to them now... and then he'd get these outrageous long distance bills, and the local phone company kept saying they couldn't do anything about it. So he'd switch back, and then someone else would call... it was crazy.]]>Mar 26th 2008 1:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 1:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 3:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
If they want to be able to bypass the cancellation process by the user and let the back end people deal with it, then they should not be permitted to contact the customer to try to convince them to stay... that goes for everyone.. the last thing I need is consistantly being called by Verizon and Comcast asking me to switch around between them all the time (even though I am already a FIOS customer.. I still get pestered by comcast occasionally)]]>Mar 26th 2008 2:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 11:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
Allow me to expose Verizon business practices, from the inside.

If Verizon gets its way, yes, they'll gleefully send out the concellation requests to their competition each time they switch a new customer.
However, they'll just IGNORE requests from other companies and go right on charging the consumer (it's already in the contracts). Ultimately this will lead to "slamming".

The more mucked up the regulation and business practices, the more money they can make.

Did you know they have entire sales campaigns (benefits) for customers that customer service is not allowed to mention? Verizon is more craving for the $$ than Hillary is for votes.]]>Mar 26th 2008 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 2:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 3:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 2:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
Won't be the first time that has happened to me. I like being required to cancel for myself.]]>Mar 26th 2008 2:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 2:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 2:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 4:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
The free market is a joke. The proper question to ask is not, as most people seem to think, "Does the free market work on paper?" but, "Can the free market be purposefully manipulated to make certain powerful parties exempt from the rules?" The answer to the latter question is, "It's so easy we naive free-marketers might as well be hanging our valuables out our windows on threads while we sleep."

So do I agree with Verizon? On general principles, I suppose so; they're right that the practice is anticompetitive. But as long as we pretend that the "free market" makes everything fair, what's the point? What *isn't* anticompetitive, in the modern world?]]>Mar 26th 2008 4:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 26th 2008 4:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/Mar 27th 2008 9:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/verizon-whines-to-fcc-make-it-easier-for-us-to-gain-market-shar/
From a consumer ease standpoint, I don't think this is better or worse than it is right now. You're still going to be pestered by the account rep that's going to try and convince you to stay. The only difference is that the "custody" transfer of your cellphone number has to be initiated and so they need to communicate. Not needed for video.]]>Mar 26th 2008 6:51PM