[TriLUG] TWC "Existing Customer Promotion"

[Steve Litt]

On Thu, 13 Mar 2014 10:13:40 -0700 (PDT)
John Vaughters <jvaughters04 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> >operate as monopolies
> 
> 
> 
> I work for utilites and TWC cable is nothing close to the definition
> of a Utility. This is reserved for businesses for which competition
> cannot easily occur. 
> 
> Examples of Utilites:
> 
>  Electricity:  Is it feasible to have 2-3 companies run power lines
> to your house? Nope! Water/Sewer: How many water mains pass your
> house? 1 right? Not feasible!
> 
> 
> NOT Utility:
> 
> last I checked, I can buy Phone/TV/Internet from at least 3 sources.
> 
> I'd go so far to say that here in the Triangle, TWC is getting hit
> from all sides with competition.
> 
> You won't hear me say this often:
> 
> Looks like Gube'ment got it right on this policy. After all a broken
> clock is right twice a day.

Only Brighthouse cables pass my house.

Competition is fostered by low or medium barriers to entry in an
industry. I'd call having to obtain the right to dig up the whole city
in order to lay down *your* cable a huge barrier to entry.

Competition is what happened with ISPs in the 1990's: Anyone with a
Linux box and a decent Internet pipe could set up shop, and rates
quickly fell from $50/month to $20/month for dialup. Because phone
lines were regulated and had to accept all comers, and Linux boxes were
cheap.

Now, the guy who controls the last mile controls the network. And
therefore, now that net neutrality is gone, the content. And every
year, prices from those one to three choices for urban dwellers keep
going up. Rural people? If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Cringely chimed in on this a week or so ago:

http://www.infoworld.com/t/cringely/railroads-superhighways-and-the-fight-fair-access-237815

SteveT

Steve Litt                *  http://www.troubleshooters.com/
Troubleshooting Training  *  Human Performance