Archive: Opinions

The Comcast purchase of Time Warner Cable is going to be bad for customers here in Lansing.  Say what you want about Time Warner, but their Internet service is a better deal than Comcast's.  Comcast is already limiting bandwidth in some markets, and there is the issue of net neutrality: despite claiming to abide by net neutrality, they recently bullied Netflix into a deal that makes Netflix work faster on Comcast, a toll that, of course, is passed on to customers.  Time Warner Cable doesn't do that, but when Time Warner Cable isn't Time Warner Cable any more, it will do that because it will be Comcast.  Additionally Comcast rates among the worst, if not the worst in customer service.  I have to say that the few times I have needed support for my Time Warner Internet service it has been outstanding (their TV support has been so-so over the years, but better now than it used to be).

So what can we do about it?  Not much.  But the New York State Public Service Commission is investigating whether the merger will be good for New Yorkers.  At the moment Comcast has about 23,000 customers.  If the merger comes through the company will have about 2,223,000.  That is 2.2 million more instant New York State customers including me and many of you.

Lansing has rallied (and continues to do so) to support the repowering of the Cayuga Power Plant by writing to the PSC and by making comments in a public hearing.  We missed the public hearing on the Comcast deal -- that was in Albany on June 18th.  And only 20 people showed up, despite the fact that most Americans oppose the merger.  Another hearing in Buffalo likewise attracted small numbers.  While New York does not have authority to stop the merger, the PSC will have some lobbying power on the federal level if public response supports opposition to the merger.  So it is important that we do for this what we have been doing for the power plant: weigh in with the PSC.

If you don't want if you don't want less access, worse service and higher prices send e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., call 1-800-335-2120 and leave a voice mail comment, or write the PSC at this address:

Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess
Secretary, Public Service Commission
Three Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12223
http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterCaseNo=14-m-0183

In your e-mail or letter, refer to “Case 14-M-0183, Petition of Comcast Corporation and Time Warner Cable Inc.”   All comments become part of the public record, and the more comments, the more weight is given to public opinion.  Comcast says 'don't worry.  The merger will be better for everyone.'  But 'everyone' reportedly disagrees.  This is not the time for 'everyone' to be a silent majority.

The Albany PSC hearing had 480 empty seats, in contrast to the packed auditorium when the PSC held its hearing on Repowering Cayuga here in Lansing.  My take-away is that people in Lansing care more about things that impact our every day lives than people in Albany.   Can you think of anything these days that impacts your life more on a daily basis than Internet service?  (And for some of us, TV?)  It's being threatened.  We should try to do something about it.

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