April 1st, 2009
Outrageous Comcast updates to customer agreement - all your systems belong to us
Although this post has appeared on April Fools day, this is no joke.
I hate to admit it, I’m a user of Comcast’s services. I just received an absolutely outrageous notice from Comcast with my bill this month. In this notice, Comcast claims the right to do the following things:
- Insert cards or other hardware into customer owned equipment. While I expect they mean a customers cable box, the wording allows them to modify computer hardware attached to their network.
- Send software and or “downloads” ot the customer equipment. Install, configure, maintain, inspect and upgrade customer equipment. Once again, I suspect the intention is to allow Comcast to touch customer-owned cable boxes, the rights they assert clearly extend to computers attached to their network.
Here’s the actual wording of their assertion:
For Video and Comcast High-Speed Internet (”HSI”) Customers. You agree that by using the Services, you are enabling and authorizing Comcast, its authorized agents and equipment manufacturers to send code updates to the Comcast Equipment and Customer Equipment, including but not limited to <emphasis is mine> cable modems and digital interactive televisions with CableCARDs, at any time it is determined necessary to do so as part of the Services. Such code updates may change, add or remove features or functionality of any such equipment or the Services.
Although maintaining the right to maintain and update their own equipment seems reasonable. This assertion of rights to inspect, insert hardware and software, etc. into customer’s own computer equipment goes way beyond what’s reasonable. Here’s a pointer to the revised customer services agreement for those of the legal persuasion.
Does this seem as outrageous to you as it does to me?
Comcast, for the record, I don’t authorize you to go searching through my computer equipment, computer software or make any modifications. I don’t agree to your update to my agreement.
10 AM Update
I spoke with a very nice customer service agent about this agreement. He pleasantly indicated that the intent of the agreement was that Comcast was asserting the right to update their own equipment and software that manages that equipment.
I pointed out that the wording of that agreement is much more broad. Comcast is asserting the right to install hardare and software in just about anything attached to their network.
When presented with my concern about the overly broad wording of the change to the customer services agreement and that customers had no way to opt out, the representative said customers always had the ability to take their business to another company.
“My way or the highway” certainly is not a very customer friendly approach to an honest concern about an overly broad assertion of a supplier’s rights.
The pleasant agent did promise to pass along my concerns to their legal department. He also promised that someone would get back to me with their interpretation of their changes to the customer services agreement. I’ll let you know what I learn. After all, I my just be proudly demonstrating both my ignorance and may stupidity. I think not, but then again, I’ve been wrong before.
3 PM update
Jason, the very pleasant customer service representative from Comcast, called me after he found out who I should call to hear the view of the Comcast legal department. After my next conference call, I’ll call Comcast’s Legal department and have a nice little chat.
4 PM update
I called the 800 number provided by Jason and found that I was funneled into an answering system that presented a long-winded description the services offered. As one might expect, none of the options were related to my questions. I’m not a law enforcement officier. I’m not a member of an emergency response team. I’m just a upset customer. I’ll keep working on this and see what I can turn up during the day tomorrow.
Daniel Kusnetzky is a member of the senior management team of The 451 Group. He is responsible for research and publications on a broad array of technology topics. He examines emerging technology trends, vendor strategies, research and development issues, and end-user integration requirements. You can follow Dan on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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