Comcast "Plants" Audience At FCC Net Neutrality Meet?

The Internet is abuzz with tales of Comcast stacking the audience / deck at an FCC hearing in Boston on Net Neutrality - see the folks with the yellow highlighters here.

And another report seems to back it up. Comcast admits to hiring "line standers." The report above indicates said "standers" never left their seats. So, Comcast employees plus the paid attendees helped to fill the room ... cheering a Comcast VP as he spoke?

Way to go Comcast. Real freaking nice. Now there are several emerging reports via Google.

Cable Operator Admits to Line-Standers but Scoffs at Impact

"Yesterday’s FCC hearing in Boston was open to the public and well-attended by many, including Comcast employees, who obviously had an interest in its content," the company said in a statement. "Comcast informed our local employees about the hearing and invited them to attend. Some employees did attend, along with many members of the general public. For the past week, Free Press has engaged in a much more extensive campaign to lobby people to attend the hearing on its behalf."

A Comcast spokeswoman conceded that the company hired line-standers but that those were only about 10% of the 300 or so people who got into the hearing. There were more Comcast employees there than the 30 or so line-standers would accommodate, she conceded, although she did not say how many.

Comments

[Pam]

I live in MI, and in my part of the state, DISH is taking the market share from Comcast. I had to find another cable supplier because they screwed with the Big 10 sports during basketball playoffs. I thought my hubby was going to actually make it through the phone when the person told him that it wasn't their problem it was ours (and 5 family memebers that verified theirs went out as well). I looked into AT&T and they priced me at phone, internet, cable for $84.00/month. If I switched my cell phone, I could get a better rate than that. I took the chance 2 years ago, and I think the internet actually runs faster. My Dad did it, and then brother-in-law did. We have each lost service due to power outages but have yet to encounter any problems that we can blame on AT&T/DISH Network. That's the truth.

Why did I bore you with that?

That behavior you wrote about at an FCC meeting is their way of doing business. I had no cable TV options other than Comcast. I called one service that provides in the area of my cottage and when I looked into getting their service at home, I was told they can't come into the area. My bil ran into the same problem in the greater Chicago area. Comcast has a monopoly, or what appears to be the definition of one. DISH is a viable alternative. They have come a long way since their beginning days. It is time for people to tell Comcast what to do with their business.

Thanks for letting me rant!