NCTA Comment Regarding Verizon Complaint on Video Service Cancellations

3/26/2008 -- Comment from Brian Dietz, Vice President, Communications, NCTA, in response to Verizon's request that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) "make it as easy for consumers to choose a new video provider as it already is for them to switch voice providers."

“Verizon’s fairy tale complaint is a lame attempt to deflect criticism from its years-long illegal practice of misusing proprietary information to prevent consumers from switching to a new phone provider. This is yet another example of Verizon looking for a regulatory handout to help them compete, rather than focusing on a customer-friendly approach to providing – or switching – service. The good news is that despite Verizon’s ongoing attempts to block phone competition, more than 15 million consumers have switched to cable’s phone service and already have saved a total of $23 billion.”

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NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation’s largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access after investing more than $110 billion over ten years to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state-of-the-art digital telephone service to millions of American consumers.

Source: National Cable & Telecommunications Association