Metrocast complaint in the GSN

[Rusty]

The below article is in this weeks editorial page of the Granite State News.
Anybody think that the writer has a legit complaint? I don't.

To the Editor:
It’s been a long time since I wrote to this paper. Here’s a new topic for discussion. We were all affected, to some degree by the big cable blackout. In my case, it was the trifecta. We have the VIP (Video, Internet and Phone). All of these services were out for 48 hours or more for anyone on the Wolfeboro Metrocast network.
Here’s the question: Did you get a credit from Metrocast for the two days that they did not provide the service that they had previously charged you for? I called Metrocast and asked why they did not automatically credit me. Their response was that they couldn’t because they don’t know how long each subscriber was out. I said “Sure you do.” They said no, some people were out for four days.

OK, what they are saying was that they know everyone was out for the 2+ days their main fiber line was out, but they don’t think it would be fair if they credited everyone for that period because a few people were out longer and deserve a little more. My BS meter just went to 11. But this isn’t about the shameless poor business practices of Metrocast that we all accept as SOP. I’m writing to you about net neutrality. One of the latest giveaways to big business is the FCCs intent to rescind the net-neutrality rule put in place more than a decade ago. That rule is based on the principle that cable companies have a fundamental conflict of interest with respect to being both a video provider and internet provider. An open internet is the greatest threat to their video business. Do you use Netflix? How about Hulu or MLB?

There are hundreds of video content providers available on the internet. Many people already don’t bother with cable TV, they just view video on demand over the internet – and pay for what they use. Without the net neutrality rule, cable internet providers like Metrocast can slow down or interfere with those video streams, or more likely charge providers not to, which will be passed along to you.

Back to the fair business practices that I opened with. Nice story Bob, but what can we do about it? Here’s a bold idea: Wolfeboro has an admirable history of taking care of itself. A hundred years ago, forward thinking town leaders built a municipal water system that enabled the town to grow into a resort community unlike its neighbors. Fast forward 50 years and the same was done with electric service – a resource that serves the town well to this day. How about a municipal internet? There is no single utility resource with more potential to affect the future of a community, and Wolfeboro has a tremendous advantage in moving in that direction. We own the telephone poles. I admit that it’s a half baked idea. We need to consider the potential for other wireless systems coming available, and make sure we hit a sweet spot with technology selection. But let’s not dismiss the idea outof-hand. Lets bring some of the accomplished business leaders who have retired to Wolfeboro together to look at the possibility. I’m in. If you have any doubt about how beneficial this could be to the town, just watch the reaction of Metrocast if we start moving forward.

Bob Lemaire Wolfeboro