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Broadband

by Mike Masnick

Fri, Jan 11th 2013 2:59pm




Filed Under:
broadband, comments, conversation, data caps

Companies:
time warner cable


Time Warner's 'Conversation' Website Ditches All Comments; The Conversation Is Just Them To You

from the that's-not-a-conversation dept

Last summer, we talked about a site that Time Warner Cable had launched called Time Warner Cable Conversations, which it insisted would be a "conversation" between it and the public. As they put it, the goal was "to interact with our customers and to contribute to the on-going conversation about cable." Except... as we noted at the time, they didn't seem to want to discuss what most customers wanted to talk about. The "conversation" was limited to discussions about TV network deals, just as they were fighting with Time Warner Cable about how much the various networks would cost. If anyone wanted to "converse" about things they didn't like about Time Warner Cable, such as it's super low data caps, too bad. The comments on the site were limited and heavily moderated. Even friendly discussions about data caps were rejected.

And, now, it appears that TWC has decided to make the "conversation" even less of a "conversation." It has removed the ability to comment altogether. So, it's no longer a "conversation." It's just a marketing brochure.
This week we checked back and discovered the dialogue had decidedly turned one-way: namely from Time Warner Cable to you. The company deleted the few views that were published on cable television programming costs and removed its comment section altogether.
Of course, this is how companies like TWC view "a conversation." They talk. You shut up and listen.

35 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 11th, 2013 @ 3:05pm

    They keep using that word...

     

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  •  
    icon
    Aria Company (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 3:25pm

    "They talk. You shut up and lxsxex torrent."
    I felt a correction was necessary.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    MrWilson, Jan 11th, 2013 @ 3:28pm

    The obvious truth is that no one would need to have a conversation with Time Warner if they were just doing their jobs as good little consumers and using up their pittances of data allowances and paying their overage bills on time (or early!). Ask not what the company can do for you, but how much more you can pay to the company.

     

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  •  
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    PlagueSD (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 3:29pm

    They're a broadcast company...What do you expect?

    They broadcast...If you don't like it, go somewhere else. Oh wait, they have Zone monopolies so if you want to change providers, you have to move to a different area.

     

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    •  
      icon
      DannyB (profile), Jan 14th, 2013 @ 8:17am

      Re:

      > They broadcast...If you don't like it, go somewhere else.


      People are. Cable cutting is on the rise.

      We're doing it next month. There's nothing to watch. We'll get rid of an expensive bill, plus the bill for three TiVo's. The bills for subscribing to other internet based streaming, and even a few redbox rentals a month will be much less.

       

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 11th, 2013 @ 3:30pm

    A conversation assumes they are willing to listen, and accept criticism. These are not skills required of senior people, who learn to just say yes sir until they reach the top. Customer service people are trained to follow a script. All this make holding a real conversation difficult, so get rid of the comments.

     

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  •  
    icon
    Trails (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 3:33pm

    Actually it's even simpler...

    They're yelling in an empty room. No one listening, no one to shut up, just echo and dust.

     

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  •  
    icon
    McCrea (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 4:17pm

    Not much to say.

    So, now it's similar to a Facebook page. No dislike button, no matter what they put up. Okay, we (sadly) got used to that years ago.

    They do provide my service, and I do love to complain, but the bottom line is that the service is better than Verizon or satellite. Whether or not I can comment on some website doesn't change that. *shrug*

     

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    •  
      icon
      Zos (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 4:46pm

      Re: Not much to say.

      i recently had WOW expand into my area, offering me better speed, no caps, no 6 strikes sign ons, and ten bucks cheaper.

      I took great pleasure in making the time warner retention specialist cry, and eventually admit that he had nothing whatsoever to offer me that would offset his company being run by evil d-bags.

      I was not impressed by his offer of ten bucks less a month, especially after the dmca nastygrams threatening my service (before i got a proxy).

      Vote with your feet if at all possible.

      And watch the sneaky pricks. Before cutting their service entirely we'd cut the tv cord about a year before, just going to internet service. A few weeks later i get a call asking if they could come "verify that i was getting the speed i was supposed to be". I'm thinking, well that's odd, since i haven't called lately to complain about them throttling me, but sure.


      So this guy shows up, and asks to be shown to a computer to run a speed test. i take him over to the wifes wireless lap top, across the house from the nearest router, getting maybe 2 bars, (with utorrent running) where he proceeds to go to speedtest.net and run a quick up/down (now mind you, once again, this was supposed to be a TECHNICIAN, who had just walked in and run a speed test on an obviously WIRELESS device, to convince me that i was getting the speed they prommised, (obviously i was not, with everything else going on the connection)

      Note anything stupid there? I kind of assumed it was a cover for a home invasion and had a 38 on him when he turned around, and i invited him to explain just what the fuck exactly he was doing in my house and what was really going on.


      Turns out he'd been sent out to pitch me to come back to their tv service, had no technical training whatsoever and was simply there to sell me on coming back. he left rather quickly after that, i think he needed to change pants. apparently no one had ever called him on this bullshit before.

      it's a bad neighborhood, home invasions happen a lot around here. the whole set up seemed pretty shady, even before i found out he was a fucking schill. if they'd put that much effort in to making sure my connection actually worked maybe they'd have more satisfied customers.

       

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      •  
        identicon
        Anonymous Coward, Jan 11th, 2013 @ 5:50pm

        Re: Re: Not much to say.

        I love happy endings...

         

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      •  
        icon
        Hephaestus (profile), Jan 12th, 2013 @ 1:22am

        Re: Re: Not much to say.

        Truth be told I would be better off in my area with DSL. One third the cost and I only download upgrades and some Youtube videos.

        Someone should create a site. Am I better off with DSL? .com

         

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        •  
          icon
          Pitabred (profile), Jan 12th, 2013 @ 12:16pm

          Re: Re: Re: Not much to say.

          I actually get better service with DSL in my neighborhood. Youtube on Comcast was hit and miss, always buffering. CenturyLink is much more reliable and stead, even if the top speed isn't as high.

           

          [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 11th, 2013 @ 4:55pm

    "It's just a marketing brochure."

    It's propaganda, the only thing government established media outlets ever deliver.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    PRMan, Jan 11th, 2013 @ 5:12pm

    Data caps

    As of 10/1/12, no data caps could be found:

    http://gigaom.com/2012/10/01/data-caps-chart/

    I'm certainly not aware of any super low data caps...

     

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    •  
      icon
      Wally (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 7:59pm

      Re: Data caps

      Yes but their six strikes policy in the US, they will be landing users on a web page containing anti piracy propaganda, force you to watch an antipiracy video, and repeat steps one and two for EACH CLICK ON A LINK YOU MAKE....just for using a BitTorrent legitimately or not.

       

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    •  
      identicon
      Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2013 @ 2:03pm

      Re: Data caps

      I'm pretty sure it depends on the market. My ATT doesn't have a cap and I imagine that's only because they have 5 competitors for my business.

       

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  •  
    icon
    Wally (profile), Jan 11th, 2013 @ 7:54pm

    Services

    I'm willing to bet the only reason they got rid of user comments is because they were tired of hearing how poor their services really are. Well here goes....

    Time Warner Cable, I'm going to lay it on you hard. Your services suck, you're technicians suck, and you charge WAAAY TOO DAMN MUCH for just wanting an Internet Connection without cable or phone...

     

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    •  
      identicon
      Ed C., Jan 11th, 2013 @ 9:20pm

      Re: Services

      Despite some of the troubles I've had with TW, including charging modem rental fees while I was still under a 12 month agreement that included the modem for free, they are still far better in every respect than Insight. Hell, now that I'm looking to move, when I call about a property I have to ask who the provider in their area is just so I can avoid being stuck with Insight again. They are just THAT bad.

       

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2013 @ 12:31am

    Of course, this is how companies like TWC view "a conversation." They talk. You shut up and pay.

    FTFY

     

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  •  
    icon
    Josef Anvil (profile), Jan 12th, 2013 @ 2:40am

    The title of this article suggests that someone confused the words broadband and broadcast.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    Wolfy, Jan 12th, 2013 @ 5:26am

    I, too have noticed that the prices for the most basic internet service have sky-rocketed... I used to pay $60 for cable tv...and the cost would creep up with no warning. I had enough of that and cut the cable. I got internet only for about $25/mo. (Mine's the second from the bottom tier speed-wise)... WOW bought out the company, and now my internet bill is... wait for it... $60/mo. I wrote them a letter reminding them all they're doing for me is giving me a open pipe... they shouldn't be trying to charge me for the content I get through it. And people wonder why assault weapons are so sought-after.

     

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  •  
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    vegetaman (profile), Jan 12th, 2013 @ 11:42am

    As usual, the word "conversation" really means "a one sided lecture".

     

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  •  
    icon
    E G Nyquist (profile), Jan 12th, 2013 @ 1:43pm

    Screw Time Warner. Municipalities should pay attention to; I am not alone in being one of the people to check what internet is available when deciding on a place to live. Time Warner is #1 on my "No chance in hell" list.

    If they want to encourage tech-savvy people to move in, local governments would be wise to encourage competitors to enter the local market.

     

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  •  
    icon
    Tex Arcana (profile), Jan 12th, 2013 @ 9:41pm

    Now THIS is a good reason for a DDoS...

     

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    •  
      identicon
      Anonymous Coward, Jan 13th, 2013 @ 8:21pm

      Re:

      And basically cut off services for other users....no, a DDoS is not the solution. More like see how long it lasts.

       

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  •  
    identicon
    private, Mar 27th, 2013 @ 5:51pm

    WE BUY HOUSES - American Property Buyers

    TV network deals, just as they were fighting with Time Warner Cable about how much the various networks would cost.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]


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