FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler Says Switching ISPs Is Too Hard 145
Jason Koebler writes Did you hear about those Comcast service calls from hell that have been cropping up over the last couple months? So did FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who said today that switching internet service providers is too damn hard, in part because ISPs have grown used to having a monopoly on broadband services. "Once consumers choose a broadband provider, they face high switching costs that include early-termination fees and equipment rental fees," Wheeler said in a speech today. Wheeler didn't specifically say what the FCC will do (if anything) to change that, but said the answer is to help facilitate more true competition: "If those disincentives to competition weren't enough, the media is full of stories of consumers' struggles to get ISPs to allow them to drop service."
Here's an idea, Tom (Score:5, Interesting)
How about the FCC does this: If you are an ISP and have taken billions of federal dollars to build out infrastructure, you actually have to do it and offer service to people?
I don't know anyone that can switch! (Score:2, Interesting)
Switching requires two different providers. Most people can only get DSL over a phone line because cable companies do not cover most of the country. Where I live in Seattle, Comcast only provides service to about 1/3 of the neighborhood despite it being less than a mile from the center of downtown. In order for it to be difficult to switch, you must have the ability to switch. That is the logic problem with Wheeler's statement that makes it just dumb. It's either that or a bold-face lie because he is trying to push the lie that we have a choice. So, is he stupid or a liar?
Re:Seriously? (Score:2, Interesting)
"Configure the old email to forward to the new one."
Tried that. Somehow the old ISP would always find a clever way to break the forward, resulting in lost email. They would change or rest the forwarding function without notice.