That's What You Get With Media Consolidation

Comcast has been benefiting from little competition by raising rates and giving sucky customer service while earning huge profits. College Park Council: "Improve your service or get a $200 daily bill."

A report submitted by the city’s cable commission, which has met with Comcast representatives several times over the last year, submitted a report last month suggesting College Park fine the cable company.

Under the terms of the city’s 1997 contract with Comcast, College Park can fine the company $200 if 90 percent of customer calls are not answered within 30 seconds. The commission’s statistics showed waiting periods around a minute in nearly every month of 2005 and 2006.

The lowest average call time was 22 seconds in February 2005. The highest average was three minutes and 27 seconds in September 2006. The most recent data showed a one minute and 15 second average waiting period last December.

While those averages include all of Prince George’s, a spokesman for the Maryland Municipal League (MML), which represents municipalities throughout the county, said he had not heard customer service complaints surface anywhere else.

Even though Version has also got a cable franchise agreement with the City, it's will not solve the fact that the cable industry is anti-competitive. (read: No multiple cable companies or phone companies)