Behind the Rhetoric, Verizon Picture Not So Rosy
By Tim Karr, June 25, 2009
Charlie Rose this week held a wide-ranging interview with Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg.
On the surface, it seemed a pretty tame affair, with Seidenberg dispensing corporate bromides that would make Verizon investors smile -- and Rose happily egging him on.
But behind the hype was a back story that should be cause for concern.
When pressed on Verizon’s stance on Net Neutrality, Seidenberg told Rose:
"We happen to agree with the whole idea that the network should be open. The Internet should be available. So that anything you want to order from any place and download, you can do it. We are for the whole idea of open standards for pulling down information. "
Then, Rose pressed him on the type of business Verizon wants to move into next. Seidenberg said:
"The things that we would like to do is add value to the network by getting into more applications... What we would like to be able do is own the rights to distribute any piece of content, that we would pay for the rights to package and bundle it and distribute it. That would give us a new dimension to our business. "
Had Rose been more savvy, he might have pressed Seidenberg about possible conflicts between the first answer and the second.
Might problems arise when a network provider and carrier (even one that publicly pledges to keep the network open) is also offering applications over that network?
Will Verizon’s desire to block competing applications be too strong to resist?
Verizon’s primary competitor in the wireless space, AT&T, is actively blocking new applications -- including Skype and SlingPlayer -- that compete with its core businesses.
As Verizon rolls out its new breed of "smart phones" to compete with AT&T's iPhone offering -- we’ll no doubt see the communications giant give in to temptation and close their "open" network.
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Free Press does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media and universal access to communications.
Tim Karr
Timothy Karr oversees all Free Press and Free Press Action Fund campaigns and online outreach efforts, including SavetheInternet.com and Free Press' work on public broadcasting, propaganda and journalism.
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Asking why it wasn't taken
Asking why it wasn't taken with the other parts belonging to Verizon, I was told that he didn't know and he'd send a truck out to collect it within the week.
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At my wits end and frustrated
At my wits end and frustrated to the max with the incompetency of Verizon, I contacted my attorney and set a date to meet with him. Prior to this, my daughter intervened and settled a dispute that they'd kept brewing for almost a year; one which my own voice had had no meaning to them. tv shows
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Verizon
Charlie Rose's interview with Verizon's CEO, Seidenberg aside; Verizon has been a # one pain in the butt and purse for me. Whatever their plans may be for the future. I am one consumer they cannot rely on.
Approximately 2 & 1/2 yrs. ago, I signed on for their package. It immediately encountered problems and daily calls ensued. They took their sweet time in responding and this continued for approx. 4 mos. at which time, I canceled the service. Verizon came to collect their hardware and I mistakenly believed I was done with all the problems.
Surprise! After 4 mos. I began receiving a bill from Verizon for $119.00. More calls to inquire what the bill was for; on hold with every representative I was referred to and eventually told they'd have to get back to me. I waited 2 weeks and no call so I repeated the same telephone hassle. Eventually, a person was put on who told me the bill was for a small black box left in my basement. Asking why it wasn't taken with the other parts belonging to Verizon, I was told that he didn't know and he'd send a truck out to collect it within the week.
My son located the box and brought it upstairs. One, two, three weeks lapsed and no truck from Verizon. More calls and I was told they'd send out a prepaid envelope for its return. More time passed; no envelope arrived. But a bill for $119.00 arrived from a COLLECTION AGENCY, submitted to them by Verizon. Before I could continue this battle I fell ill and was hospitalized for 10 days.
Upon arriving back home the first thing I spottted was Verizon's black box resting atop my coffee table. Another call wherein I attempted to explain to a Verizon rep. that their business practices was opening them up to law suits. I was promptly read out and told that no one practiced better business than Verizon! I hung up with a sigh of contempt.
A few days later, I saw a Verizon truck on the street. Rushing out clutching the black box, I approached the serviceman and tried to give it to him. He said he couldn't take it because he had no receipt to give me. No, he didn't have a mailer envelope either.
At my wits end and frustrated to the max with the incompetency of Verizon, I contacted my attorney and set a date to meet with him. Prior to this, my daughter intervened and settled a dispute that they'd kept brewing for almost a year; one which my own voice had had no meaning to them.
Verizon is a big, greedy conglomerate who will sucker the public with their outlandish prices until the FCC steps in and puts some controls on them. The same goes for Comcast.
Both quotes a concern
A careful reading of the first quote will show that it is not in support of Net Neutrality in any way. It is "illusion speak", i.e., what one thinks one heard is not what was said.
The second quote, therefore, does not conflict with the first. However, the stated idea to "own the rights to distribute any piece of content" is scary when you consider the reference to "any", which arguably suggests an intention to create new kinds of rights, or make proprietary what today is non-proprietary.
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Verizon makes sense.
The Internet should be open; you should be able to obtain any legal content from anywhere on it. But you should not be able to abuse the network or degrade others' quality of service.
It also makes sense for Verizon to bring value added services to the network. Forcing it not to would be to completely commoditize its product, ensuring that it could make little or not return on its huge investments in the network.
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