Junto Boys

THE PROBLEM WITH MONOPOLIES

I’m moving into a friend’s house that is moving away to Ohio for a job. She’s not sure if she will return but she’s keeping the power, cable and gas running in case she does.

I called the cable company to get a cable modem installed. They were more than friendly until they realized that owner of the house already had an open account with them. According to their rules I needed to get her authorization to add the cable modem. “Why?” I asked.

“ Because if she didn’t authorize the cable modem I could run up pay per view bills that she’d be responsible for” the lady on the phone said. I pointed out that I didn’t want to piggyback on her account, but wanted my own separate account that I would alone be responsible for.

“We can’t do that,” the woman said. I kept being handed off to more people who could only tell me that the computer wouldn’t let them open an account at a residence that already had an account. I said simply that I want to open an account that I will be 100% responsible for and are more than willing to pay $40 a month to do so.

“No” they said. “She would either have to authorize it on her own account or cancel her account so that I could open one in my own name.”

Well, I said, “Why not let me open one in my own name now?”

“The computer won’t let me,” she said.

The supervisor couldn’t tell me anymore than that. Finally another manager got on the line and said that the company had declared bankruptcy recently and one of the reasons was that they were counting cable customers and cable modem customers separately. “What nonsense,” I said. “ I don’t care how you count what. Just give me what I want. I’m the customer. The reason you are declaring bankruptcy is that I am offering to pay you $40 a month for a service that you can easily provide and you are asking me the customer to jump through hoops.”

“That’s your perception sir,” he said.

“What’s your perception? I asked. “Here I am offering you my money and you want me to jump through hoops. I’d call another cable company if you weren’t a monopoly. Instead, I’ll go with DSL and you’ll still lose out. It’s not your accounting tricks that are ruining your business but an inability to give customers what they want, when they want it, and at a price they are willing to pay”

If it were not for DSL, I’d have to settle for dial up or cow tow to this monolith that the government created. When the government broke up ATT&T long distance phone bills dropped and service got better. Cable companies need the same treatment.

But to go one further, I would ask anyone who has had these kinds of experiences with corporations why they continue to support a larger government and more spending. I can choose whether or not I want Adelphia cable, but I’m not s customer of the government. They are holding a gun to my head demanding payment.

I could have called her and had her add Cable Modem to her account and paid her every month, but I’m not spending $40 a month to be treated, as they would like. I’m already paying for too many unconstitutional government services and being treated like a number. I’m not going to do it voluntarily. But isn't that what people who support more government spending are doing?