August 3, 2005

1 Min Read
A Cable Fable

2:00 PM -- Here's my telecom service gripe du jour: Why are cable companies still not networking services companies?

I was trying to help a relative by getting cable broadband installed yesterday. The Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) guy finally showed up... at the last possible moment. He got broadband to work on one computer, but, alas, for some reason, could not successfully split the line for the television -- every time he did, the broadband stopped working.

The conversation went something like this:

  • "You can have broadband and television, but not both," said the {dirlink 5|38} man.

    "Oh," I said. "What if we want both?"

    "We'd have to run another cable from the box on the street."

    "Well, can you do that?"

    "Not today."

    "Why not?"

    "Got another appointment. I'll have to come back tomorrow."

    "Okay, well then, we can live without the cable television for now. But we need to run the broadband on another computer, too -- can I do that?"

    "I can't install it on more than one computer. You need to get a router."

    "Do you have those in the truck? I'll buy one."

    "We don't sell routers."

— R. Scott Raynovich, US Editor, Light Reading

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