Comcast - No complaints! [was: Re: Craptastic Service!

Sun Feb 22 19:34:52 UTC 2009

Just because no network provider today offers to do better than refund 
your money doesn't mean this is all they "can" do.  Perhaps someday one 
of the networks will be confident enough about their services to offer a 
better SLA that includes paying a penalty when they fail to deliver what 
they promised.  It would make a great marketing point - we are so 
confident in our services that our SLA is better than the Other Guys.  
Like the ads that promise to price match and give you 10% extra if you 
find a "lower price elsewhere".  This marketing strategy would play well 
when talking to bean counters and suits. 

jc

Brandon Galbraith wrote:
> Very true. You'll be hard pressed to find an IP/transit/dark fiber
> provider who is going to agree to be liable for anything except what
> you've paid in the event of an SLA violation.
>
> -brandon
>
> On 2/22/09, Patrick W. Gilmore <patrick at ianai.net> wrote:
>   
>> On Feb 22, 2009, at 1:26 PM, JC Dill wrote:
>>     
>>> Seth Mattinen wrote:
>>>       
>>>> If I give someone money to do something, and they fail to meet the
>>>> contracted metrics, what else can they give me except money back?
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> They can pay a penalty.  Simply giving you your money back may not
>>> make you whole.  Many businesses could make out like a bandit if
>>> they don't have to pay a penalty when they don't perform, but just
>>> give you your money back.  In some lines of business (e.g.
>>> residential rental housing) we have laws to protect buyers (renters)
>>> that stipulate penalties when sellers (landlords) don't provide the
>>> services (livable housing) required by law, in addition to refund of
>>> the fee (rent) paid for the services.
>>>
>>> Giving you your money back when you didn't get the goods isn't
>>> really providing an SLA, it's simply not defrauding the customer.
>>>       
>> That ain't gonna happen.
>>
>> The housing laws you mention are the exception, not the rule.  Very,
>> very, very few businesses have any liability for lack of performance
>> other than the money you paid them.  And some not even that.
>>
>> --
>> TTFN,
>> patrick
>>
>>
>>
>>     
>
>   