News
Telecom RSS FeedNetflix elbows into cable’s territory
Watch out, HBO: Netflix is elbowing into original programming. Netflix just wrapped up a deal that gives them the rights to House of Cards, a Kevin Spacey drama.
Purchasing original content is an unprecedented move on the part of Netflix and some see it as aggressive. Netflix’s whole shtick has been to offer shows and movies that have already aired on the cheap. Up until now cable has been able to tout their exclusive original content. All the while Netflix content has become less and less interesting in the eyes of the consumer. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts gave the remark that “What used to be called ‘reruns’ on television is now called Netflix.” Now, this is obviously a biased remark because it’s coming from the CEO of a cable competitor, but the man has a point. Many folks that use Netflix as their primary source of entertainment complain that their content is not growing quickly enough to satisfy their customers. Original content makes Netflix a much more compelling option for those looking to cut their cable cord.
Fun TOS! AT&T New Terms of Service for Bandwidth Cap of 150GB-250GB
It’s time for another thrilling edition of Fun TOS!
Earlier this week, we briefly touched on a story posted by Engadget about AT&T’s decision to institute a bandwidth cap. Before AT&T introduced this cap, its DSL customers had unlimited bandwidth access to stream videos, surf the web, and download as they please. We received an e-mail this morning from a member who forwarded us AT&T’s e-mail to its customers giving them notice of the change. Let’s see how easy it is to figure out what is going on.
Persistence Pays Off - One AT&T customer's success story
We love posting success stories on our site of consumers we've helped get the resolution they deserve. This success story we can't take credit for (we can try, but then we'd be just as bad as those utility companies) and it's a great example of how persistence can pay off in a big way.
If it sounds too good to be true, get it in writing!
I spoke to a consumer today who received a cold call from Cox offering an upgrade to a bundle package. Currently this Cox customer only has internet through the company and doesn’t subscribe to any other services. The sales representative told her on the phone that it is the deal of the lifetime and she had to accept right away. When she told the rep that she wanted some time to think about it (and talk to UCAN about the issue) he said that normally they don’t keep offers open like this, but he’d make an exception in this case. What is a consumer to do? Read on to find out.
Verizon sues over third party fraudulent text messages
You know that time you signed up for daily joke text messages and got charged a fortune? Here’s your chance to get some of that cash back.
Earlier this week Verizon filed a lawsuit against a ring of text message scammers that subverted the proper identification channels. The Texas Attorney General also joined the lawsuit. The scammers set up websites that offered everything from recipes to daily jokes to video game tips sent to you in text message form. However, they didn’t properly disclose how much the service would cost ($3-$10 a month) and they subverted Verizon’s tracking system.
Sprint and T-Mobile merger talk resurfaces
These two just can’t stay away from each other: Deutsche Telekom is again talking of hooking up Sprint and T-Mobile. Jeez guys, get a room.
Yet Another Phone Scam: Fat Finger Dialing
It seems that we can’t keep up with all the new phone scams that are hitting the phone lines. The latest one we bring you involves the same trickery as the other scams we touched on. But instead of reaching out to you to initiate the scam, the scammers in the fat finger dialing scam wait for you to make a simple mistake--dialing the wrong number.
FTC to Hold Forum on Ways to Protect Consumers from Unauthorized Charges on their Phone Bills
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) is hosting a Forum on May 11, 2011 to examine how government, business, and consumer protection organizations can work together to prevent consumers from receiving unauthorized third-party charges on their phone bills. This practice is known as cramming.
FCC to Hold Townhall Meeting in San Diego
On Thursday, March 17, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) will hold a town hall meeting at the 26th Annual International Technology & Persons with Disability Conference.
On Thursday, March 17, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) will hold a town hall meeting at the 26th Annual International Technology & Persons with Disability Conference. The meeting is currently scheduled to make place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, One Market Place, San Diego, CA 92101 in room H-1.
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