Posted on 08/07/2011 3:06:16 AM PDT by Las Vegas Dave
Comcast is calling out rival DirecTV over an ad campaign that it claims is misleading customers and making unfair statements about competitors.
DirecTV’s new TV, Internet, and radio ads offer subscribers the NFL Sunday Ticket package (typically $66.99 per month) at “no extra charge.” But DirecTV only gives the package away when customers sign up for a two-year contract, which means that it’s not actually free, according to Comcast.
In a lawsuit filed in a Chicago federal court, Comcast called DirecTV’s “no extra charge” claim “an outright lie” because “the offer requires a two-year contract with hefty termination fees for early cancellation, with the NFL Sunday Ticket service automatically renewing in the second year at full price.”
Comcast also accuses DirecTV of disparaging other cable providers, like Comcast. “One DirecTV advertisement contains the literally false claim that cable subscribers only can view a single NFL game each Sunday during the NFL season,” the lawsuit states. In Philadelphia, Comcast offers all Eagles games, but the DirecTV ads make it seem as if only Sunday Ticket subscribers can view them, said Comcast.
The DirecTV ads do contain fine print explaining that the NFL promotion is only available with a two-year package commitment. But according to Comcast, the ads go “to great lengths” to conceal the truth. “DirecTV’s television and Internet ads employ a carefully crafted scheme of purported disclaimers that were intentionally designed to deceive as many consumers as possible,” the lawsuit states, while “many of its ads, especially those aired on the radio, simply omit this critical fact altogether.”
DirecTV denied Comcast’s claims, telling Reuters, “We believe Comcast's complaint is completely without merit and plan to defend ourselves vigorously.”
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I wouldn’t believe Comcast if they said the sky was blue.
The DirecTV ads and flyers I've seen all mention the restrictions for the freebies/reduced costs. If Comcast wants to compete, it will have to be as aggressive when it comes to chasing down customers.
I sure hope this means customers are leaving Comcast in droves. We just did, and it wasn’t because of NFL ticket, it was because of Comcast’s horrendous service. The third time that the piece of garbage DVR crashed (and WE had to drive 30 miles round trip to replace it) was the charm. So far, very happy with DirectTV. Well worth the change.
Comcast has their panties in a wad only because they keep hiking their rates to existing customers in order to make existing customers pay for their programs like the one that gives 10 dollar high speed internet to people who have kids that get free lunch at school.
Comcast deserves to lose it’s customers that actually pay out their ass for their service.
LLS
CC
BTW,
comcast sucks!
We have the $8 HD box rental on the JVC in the family room and also DISH HD.
I am astounded that anyone would pay that to watch football!
“I am astounded that anyone would pay that to watch football!”
I’m astounded that anyone would watch football. Or golf.
Get a load of this one: UN says owning a satellite dish is a human right.
Ooops, should have read having not owning
Same here! They screwed up my bill, charged me twice one month, cased sseveral overdraft fees, screwed up my credit, .. freak them. I got DirecTV now. Their DVR is far superior to Comcasts, and I hear they will support TiVo once again soon (the best DVR out there).
It sounds like DirecTv is doing the same thing as the cell phone companies, I see no problem with that.
I am a comcast customer. It is fair to say, that their service in my area has absolutely no service. Either I pay for their service at whatever rate they command, or I have no cable. I do not live in central Wyoming. I live in Central Connecticut. When I went to call, Time Warner and others, they politely informed me, that my cable provider in my area is comcast. What seems to have happened, is the cable giants have worked out a deal between each other throughout this state, and divided it up. Thus creating minature monopolies in the areas they gave to each other.
Cable TV has always been a monopoly. Depending on your location you have these TV options:
Your local monopoly cable TV provider
DirecTV
DISH Network
Fiber optic (ATT Uverse, Verizon FIOS, etc)
Free over the air, via antenna
Internet TV (Netflix, Hulu Plus, etc.)
If you hate your cable provider, look into satellite, or fiber with your phone company.
Doesn’t Comcast have to prove it was harmed by DirecTV’s ads? It should have to prove either that people who would have been Comcast television customers decided to be DirecTV customers based on those ads or that Comcast’s reputation has been damaged by these DirecTV ads. Both appear to be difficult to prove.
You are right, satellite is an option in my area. It isn’t at my home. I do not get a good view of the southern sky. That was at open air antenna is an option though.
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