Recently when I was in White Plains my friends were distressed because, while they had signed up with Verizon for cable, they were not getting any actual service. In fact, instead of coming to their home and installing the new system, they sent them a box of cables, intimidating control boxes and other devices along with a complex set of instructions. Not being installers, they could not figure it out and were unable to reach any human beings to assist them. It seemed insane to me that a company would expert average citizens to install their own system. As I watched them agonize over the complex equipment, I was somewhat grateful that I had Comcast, though I cannot say anything in praise of this greedy company. My smugness was short-lived. When I got home to Miami, I found a box with two new control units, wires, cables, new remotes and batteries. Despite being a luddite, I managed to assemble the new equipment for both TVs. Once this is done one has to call a central number for them to activate the new equipment (don't think any American city). When I did I was surprised to discover that while the attractive new remote was a whiz at changing channels, I still was required to use the old remote to turn the TV on and off, at least that's what Chuck in New Delhi told me. We consumers are suckers. TV could be free, but we pay a high price for low-brow entertainment. Soon we'll all be be paying for radio. And worst of all, these monopolies, which are raking in millions, have finally figured out how to save even more: by having us do our own installations. I hate to think of how many technologically challenged Comcast consumers are pulling out their hair tonight.
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