Consumers for Cable Choice Launches MyCableNightmare.com

Consumers for Cable Choice Launches MyCableNightmare.com

New Web Site Accommodates Growing Collection of Scary Customer Service Stories

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers for Cable Choice launched a new Web site today to highlight the cable TV industry's poor customer service record and excessive rate increases, and to show how consumers suffer when they don't have competitive choice.

A forum for consumers to voice frustration about cable and to push for competitive choice, the Web site will serve as the national consumer advocacy group's alter ego. It is designed to give real world examples of why competition is needed in the cable television industry. To encourage readers to share their stories, Consumers for Cable Choice will award an iPod Nano to the person who submits the most outrageous -- and true -- cable customer service story.

"www.MyCableNightmare.com is to www.Consumers4Choice.org as the habanero is to the banana pepper; both are great, but one carries a bit more bite," said Robert K. Johnson, Consumers for Cable Choice president.

Consumers for Cable Choice was formed in June 2005 to mobilize support for legislation that promotes competition in the cable television marketplace. Representatives from the group have met with members of congress and congressional staff, filed remarks with the Federal Communications Commission and provided insight and advice on the issue to a variety of news outlets. The new Web site will be less serious-minded while still factual.

"Nothing's scarier than the truth when it comes to cable horror stories. We have been hearing so many negative stories about cable providers' poor customer service and prices that we simply had to share them," said Jim Conran, Consumers for Cable Choice executive director. "The stories we'll post clearly demonstrate the need for competition. Traditional cable TV companies simply couldn't survive if they had to compete for customers. Given a choice, customers will give their hard-earned dollars to the provider that offers the best price, service and options."

Consumers for Cable Choice will continue to use its original Web site (http://www.consumers4choice.org/ ) to provide straightforward information about the issue. The new site will change themes monthly. For October, it takes on a wickedly funny Halloween persona. Featured pages include "The Horror Hall of Fame," "Rate Increase Nightmares" and "Cable's Wicked Waste." Consumers are encouraged to use the "Treats" button to submit their worst customer service story.

MyCableNightmare's "Top 3 Most Frightening Facts about Cable:"

1. Blame It on the Rain: Cable will do ANYTHING to justify rate increases. Effective Sept. 1, 2005, Time Warner Cable raised basic cable rates for Houston customers by a whopping 14%. Its excuse?: "To defray higher costs of electricity to power its facilities and for gasoline needed for its fleet of 1,100 vehicles."

2. Cable is Scarier Than the IRS. Believe It or Not! The IRS used to set the country's bar for the most abysmal customer service, bureaucracy and delays - UNTIL NOW. According to 2005 results from the American Customer

Satisfaction Index, the cable & satellite TV industry received a score of 61, while the IRS received a score of 67.

3. Cable Takes the Biggest Bite Out of Your Budget: High school economics taught us that prices usually go up over time. But the text book left this part out: According to the Consumer Price Index, over the past 10 years, the cost of bread has gone up 31%, the cost of eggs has gone up 36%, the cost of gas has gone up 60%, but the cost of basic cable TV has gone up a whopping 86%.

About Consumers for Cable Choice, Inc.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind. Consumers for Cable Choice, Inc. is a national alliance of consumer advocacy groups, private citizens and others who are committed to promoting maximum choice for consumers in cable, video and broadband services. Member groups are based in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C. Consumers for Cable Choice's mission is to actively remove the regulatory roadblocks that stand between today's monopolies and reform government policies that open the channels for fair competition. Consumers for Cable Choice uses a combination of education and grassroots advocacy to impact change, which will result in a deregulated and pro-consumer market that stimulates fair price, more choices and better service options in the cable television industry. President Robert K. Johnson has been advocating for policies that benefit residential and small business consumers for more than 20 years. To learn more, visit http://www.consumers4choice.org/ or http://www.mycablenightmare.com/ .

Media Contacts: Cheryl Reed (317) 205-9690 cherylreed@synergy-mg.com

Source: Consumers for Cable Choice

CONTACT: Cheryl Reed, +1-317-205-9690, cherylreed@synergy-mg.com , for Consumers for Cable Choice

Web site: http://www.consumers4choice.org/ http://www.mycablenightmare.com/

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