Comcast Gets Popped Right Here in River City

Goodness, what with all the Western Culinary Institute back and forth, I've missed a favorite sleeper story about Comcast. Last week, metropolitan Multnomah County's Mt. Hood Cable Commission announced that it was fining Comcast $43,899 for failing to notify Oregon subscribers about changes in their cable service.

Here's the url to the press release: http://www.mhcrc.org/docs/PressRelease30dayViolation.pdf

Comcast has roughly 150,000 subscribers in Multnomah County. In October 2007, Comcast unilaterally moved five popular basic cable channels to a more expensive digital tier. You want to continue MSNBC? You get to pay at least a dollar more per month. According to the Cable Commission, Comcast made the changes without giving 30-days notice to subscribers. Subscribers apparently received notice 10 to 20 days late.

Full disclosure: the author represents consumers in a case against Comcast over what the consumers claim were illegally charged late fees. One of the allegations in the case is that Comcast failed to provide timely notice before levying late fees.

Interestingly, the Cable Commission prefers that Comcast provide a credit to affected subscribers. But in the alternative, Comcast can pay the fine of $43,899 to the Cable Commission.

Should be interesting to see what happens next on this one.

David F. Sugerman
www.pspc.com
Paul & Sugerman, PC

CEC/Western Culinary-Consumers Taking Action

Wow, here's something cool about how the internet is providing consumers with new tools to fight corporate abuses.

I stumbled on a Facebook group devoted to consumers' concerns over CEC, the owner of many private trade schools, including Portland's Western Culinary Institute. The man behind the group is Charles Hobbs. I'm in awe of his energy and organizing ability. While I don't know his story directly, I'm guessing that he got burned by one of the CEC programs and decided to take action.

Here's his IADT Truth Advocates facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5604847490

And if that's not enough, the page reports that CBS is coming out with a news piece on CEC and some of the claims made by consumers.

It's refreshing to see Mr. Hobbs and others using the internet in a constructive way to provide information to consumers. The networking process provides a great tool in fighting those businesses that seem committed to doing things the wrong way. Nothing like good old fashioned information to help consumers make smart choices.

David F. Sugerman
Paul & Sugerman, PC
www.pspc.com