hdj
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"Hey, Zakk Mylde, let's kick it up a notch"
Posts: 187
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Post by hdj on Feb 11, 2008 16:50:58 GMT -4
Anyone know anything about the laws regarding companies or business's withholding services?
I've been trying for about 2 years now to get either Bellsouth DSL or TWC Roadrunner to run along my street. Right now, there is no high speed internet in my area......It's in my town, just doesn't run down the street I live on.
All of the wealthy neighborhoods in my town get it. To me, this is withholding services in my particular area for no apparent reason. I know of a lotof people on my street that wants high speed internet also.
Anyone know if this would hold up in court? I'm seriously thinking of bringing up a lawsuit against these 2 companies for withholding services. I'm not a sue happy person, never even thought about a lawsuit, but this is just getting to me...
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Rustee
Full Member
pima practitioner
Posts: 214
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Post by Rustee on Feb 12, 2008 1:45:39 GMT -4
No, I don't know of the legalities. But this reminds me of a recent topic in a consumer newsletter (Clark Howard):
Have you heard about the new high-speed Internet option coming to a few U.S. cities in the next 90 days? People in Washington D.C., Chicago and Baltimore will be the first to have access to WiMAX. This new technology sends out a blanket high-speed Internet signal that covers an entire metro area. The cable and phone companies' shared monopoly may soon come to an end. Over the next year or so, roughly 2/3 of the U.S. will have WiMAX access -- barring any tech problems on rollout. But this is not vaporware. WiMAX has already been a huge success in South Korea. Clark's beloved Eee PC is one of the first devices available with WiMAX capability built into it. This coming technology will be a real game changer and may soon alleviate iPhone users' complaints about slow surfing speeds.
WiMAX is a Sprint effort, and it's unfortunate that the company's bad customer-service reputation is taking away from its credibility with this new development. Clearwire is planning to migrate to WiMAX soon. The way you think about Internet today is going to be so different in the near future. Clark wants to emphasize that this is the real deal -- not just something for techies. The pressure WiMAX is going to put on monopolies is intense and will force lower prices and a better user experience. Our Internet experience will catch up (finally!) to that of the Third World countries!
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Hunter60
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Last of the Dog Men
Posts: 185
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Post by Hunter60 on Feb 12, 2008 8:31:38 GMT -4
You wouldn't get very far with your suit. It's not "withholding" services per se. It's up to the company as to where, when and how they make the services available. Unless you can prove some level of discriminatory action, your suit would get bounced at the first conference in front of the judge but not before your attorney milked discovery for a couple of grand.
If they made the service available to others in your neighborhood but said no to you because you're a long-haired rocker, well, yes - let the lawsuits fly. But if it's just a question that it's not currently available, you would be wasting your time and money.
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Raskolnikov
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Initial success or total failure
Posts: 147
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Post by Raskolnikov on Feb 12, 2008 10:16:13 GMT -4
Have you called the companies and asked them what it would take to get broadband on your street?
Years ago, my mom had contacted Verizon and they told her that if she or enough people on our road (my mom lives on a back road) could help them cover the costs of extending DSL service along those lines, they'd be happy to help.
Since pretty much everybody else on our hill was a bunch of back-woods, illiterate Luddites it never panned out because the cost was too high for one [average] person, but had the community been behind it, it would have been pretty reasonable.
Right now, the broadband companies in your area probably think that demand in your neighborhood is too low to justify the expense of upgrading or investing in new lines. If enough people speak up about it, you may find them a lot more willing to work with you.
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Post by elklandercc on Feb 12, 2008 12:27:56 GMT -4
Its like Rask said, if its not there yet, its because they don't think they'll make money from it. Its expensive to run cable not to mention the cable itself. Don't feel bad, I work beacuse Pa to VA doesn't all have DSL.
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hdj
Full Member
"Hey, Zakk Mylde, let's kick it up a notch"
Posts: 187
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Post by hdj on Feb 12, 2008 14:58:36 GMT -4
Well, I live on a really busy road, hundred of houses, the road is 10 or so miles long and I know of people that live in more rural areas than I do that can get both services....
I'm not going to sue anyone over it, like hunter60 said, I really don't have a case anyway.
I'll just end up getting satellite internet before too long and laugh at Bellsouth when they finally do bring it down my street.
Thanks for all the responses, they were all helpful...
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Post by Tonja Renee on Feb 13, 2008 13:30:00 GMT -4
When I lived in the next community over we had the same problem... We have two major phone/internet companies and one company had phone in my old community but not internet and the other had internet but not phone... So I couldn't save with a bundle because of it.
My brother used to work for one of the companies and he said it had something to do with a junction point, and the cost of upgrading this particular junction point was millions of dollars and the amount of customers would not be enough to warrant the upgrade, plus they don't expect every single person to purchase their internet. So he said it was highly unlikely that the service would ever be provided for that particular area, which in total was about 5,000 homes.
I'm sure eventually all lines will have to be upgraded, but I guess they aren't going to do it until they absolutely have to switch it out.
But then again, our cable companies are cheap.. I remember my brother telling me that the Government has particular standards with the level of cable that is provided, and the owner would just pay the fine every year instead of upgrading to provide better service... pretty pathetic.
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