Here in central NH, most residents are held "hostage" by a single cable company that offers TV and broadband services. While they try as hard as any monopoly would to provide good service at a good price, they sometimes fall short. Friends and co-workers living to the south in NH, while still serviced by a monopoly, receive more perks than we do, for which I am jealous. What if we could CHOOSE between cable companies? You know, more than one company would COMPETE for our business, having to constantly prove to us, their customers, why their service is superior to "the other guy’s".
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There is hope looming over the horizon. Well, just over the border heading south on Route 93, actually. That’s right— There is a movement in Massachusetts to make it easier to foster true competition in the cable industry.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Massachusetts homeowners are one step closer to saving millions of dollars a year on cable television service, thanks to the introduction of the Massachusetts Cable Choice and Competition Act, according to a national homeowners advocacy group. The bill will speed the process of allowing consumers alternatives to the cable TV monopolies that still exist in many parts of Massachusetts. Cable TV monopolies across the country have been raising subscription fees at triple the rate of inflation over the last decade, and their record in terms of service quality is abysmal.."A 2006 case study showed that allowing new competitors to compete with cable TV monopolies on a national basis will save a typical video services subscriber approximately $240 a year," said Bruce Hahn, president and CEO of American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance. This is a very significant savings for most homeowners and other consumers. "The new law will also provide the first step for consumers towards many other long-term benefits in addition to video services," he added..On behalf of the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that serves the nation’s 75 million homeowners, Hahn thanked Massachusetts State Senator Panagiotakos and Representative Vallee for introducing this important legislation. The legislation requires prompt consideration of TV service franchise applications by potential new competitors, assures that there is no discrimination in the availability of the new services, creates an important role for municipalities to address consumer complaints, requires continued support for public educational and governmental access and provides strong enforcement tools.."Massachusetts residents have paid too much and waited too long for this greatly needed legislation. We hope that other state legislators will join in cosponsoring and speeding the passage of the Massachusetts Cable Choice and Competition Act," said the homeowners group President.
.AHGA is a national consumer advocacy organization that has been serving the interests of the nation’s 75 million homeowners since 2000. More about AHGA is at http://www.AmericanHomeowners.org.
Massachusetts? Sure, why not. If everyone in that most liberal of the "blue states" of America is already hugely "pro-choice", doesn’t it stand to reason that they would want such "choice" across the board?
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It’s too bad that such a thing happening here in NH is far away, thanks to the long-term "franchise" agreements signed by our "leaders" that will prevent any such change for many years to come. At least they got great things in exchange for signing– like fiber optics for town and school buildings. There, doesn’t that help, as you ponder your cable bill?
