Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you because I am very concerned about the upcoming merger between Comcast and Time Warner. I realize, in writing to you, that the current telecommunication problems were not approved or set in motion prior to your coming into office. They were yet another gift that you inherited. That said, I am asking if you will assist the American People and me in repairing a devastating problem that was set in motion and approved by your predecessors. This letter, to you, is an effort to point out how uncompetitive that we, as a Country, are when compared to the rest of the Western and Industrialized world. I want to show you how the American people are currently being overcharged for cable, internet and phone and are forced by the current monopolistic telecommunications industry to endure the most inferior, of all services, when compared to all Western and Industrialized Countries. I want show to you, Mr. President, that as bad as we are as a country in this area , that we will be in a much worse position in America if this currently proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner is allowed to happen. All competiveness will vanish and we will quickly become last in quality service in the world. The U.S. has fallen behind much of the Western world when it comes to phone, cable and Internet service. Americans actually pay much more for inferior service compared to their global counterparts. The following will attempt to outline where Americas telecommunication service and its fees to the America People are compared to the rest of the Western World: • Americans pay four times as much as the French for an Internet triple-play package—phone, cable TV and Internet—at an average of $160 per month versus $38 per month and these companies still make money. • The French get global free calling and worldwide live television. Their Internet is also 10 times faster at downloading information and 20 times faster uploading it. • America has gone from #1 in Internet speed (when we invented it) to 29th in the world and falling. Hong Kong has internet speed of 1 gig and the charge is $25.00 per month. And, Government likes to talk about American Exceptionalism. Really.................. The American people paid for the development of the internet by the Department of Defense. The American People own it. Who gave their internet away to the gatekeeper profiteers and allowed for privatization of their property to individual cable companies who have abused that privilege? Who allowed these gatekeepers to take America from #1 in telecommunications to #29 for the sake of Wall Street Profits? And, how dare AT&T, Verizon, TMobile and Time Warner be so disrespectful to the American People by offering such poor schlock service to them when compared to other Countries? I certainly didnt approve that giveaway! I dont think that any American Citizen ever did. And, because Government gave the internet away to gatekeepers 45% of Americans, who own the internet, cant even afford cable or internet. Great job Government! Another example of how you no longer give a rats ass about the American people. • Bulgaria is among the countries with faster Internet service. • Americans pay 38 times as much as the Japanese for Internet data. Since the mid-1970s when Ma Bell was cited as holding a monopoly over phone service, Americans have been told more competition would lower their phone bill. But the promise of lower prices has actually led to higher prices. Yes, more than 29 other countries have better service. • Not only have prices increased, service providers now charge fees for everything, including options that used to be free. Bills have also become increasingly complicated. Virtually no one understands their phone bill in its entirety. I certainly dont nor the cable bill either. • Since 1995, average cable prices have been rising 2.6 times faster than the cost of living, for basic, no frill service in 2009, FCC reports shows. • According to SNL Kagan, a market research firm, the average cable bill in 2011 was $78, almost double the price of $40 in 2001 and significantly higher than the FCC figure. • While we werent watching the phone and cable companies lobbied Washington to change laws and regulations to favor their business over their customers. And, they won. Just look at the service we get from these companies compared to the rest of the world. Another workaround accomplished by a Government supported Corporation. And this, at the gain of Wall Street and the 1% but at the unscrupulous expense to the American People.......... Again! • Remember the so-called Information Superhighway?!!! Over the course of the last 20 years, nearly $500 billion has been collected, from the Government at taxpayer expense, by the Telecom Superhighway. That works out to $3,000 per household to have access to high-speed Internet. But, didnt the American People already pay for the development of the internet through the Department of Defense? Why are the American People paying for something they already own? There is no other country who has done this to their people. • So where are all the Superhighway Fiber Optic Lines that everyone should have? The answer is that only the very few have these lines. America did not get what it was promised and that 500 billion was a giveaway, at taxpayer expense. We are 29th in the world and the most inferior and expensive telecommunication service. More Exceptionalism. • This is terrible for commerce for our economic future. Our global competitors are investing in the proper infrastructure while our country invests in Wall Street and the 1%. These American companies essentially have a business model that is antithetical to economic growth. Profits go up if they can provide slow Internet at super high prices along with overpriced and mediocre television and telephone. • The relationship between phone and cable providers has essentially become a price fixed cartel. Look at the relationships between Verizon and Comcast or AT&T. This is wrong and completely void of price competition. • In terms of phone service, what America really got was a duopoly. AT&T and Verizon control 60% of phone service in America. Mr. President, as you can see by my letter that America is primitive in the telecommunication arena when compared to other countries. Because these schumcks can get away with only making money and only have to deliver poor service to achieve that goal for their shareholders. These monopolies are not working for the American People, only Wall Street and the 1%. To even consider a merger between Comcast and Time Warner would be a total catastrophe for the American People and a disaster to the economy. There is no competition for these companies any longer. Public policies have vanished. The Sherman Anti Trust Act is gone, thanks to the lobbyists, that would prevent these monopolies. While the Government and its Citizens United Law likes monopolies and giant bank like corporations this is wrong for the American people. I hope that you will prevent and stop this merger from happening. Mr. President, the American People and those millions of Americans without service, because they cant afford it, need you. Please help us and dont let this merger happen and at the same time will you please overhaul these ridiculous and excessive charges for inferior service and their overcharged fees from these abusive Wall Street companies!!! Most respectfully, Jack Murphy
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 00:53:59 +0000
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