screw you, customers

In a recent interview the CEO of Verizon, Ivan Seidenberg, said the following about customer expectations.

"Why in the world would you think your (cell) phone would work in your house? The customer has come to expect so much. They want it to work in the elevator; they want it to work in the basement."

So, there you have it. Verizon's answer to the modern consumer's growing communication needs: just lower your expectations. Seidenberg also said Verizon has no responsibility to help clarify coverage issues by providing customers with detailed coverage maps or statistics on indoor signal strength. In summary, customers should watch the "Can you hear me now" ads, believe the unsubstantiated claims, make uninformed decisions and get stuck with huge cancellation fees if coverage is inadequate in their area.

The interview took place in San Francisco where the city is considering implementing a free public wifi service. Municipal wifi is gaining attention in many states since municipal utilities already have the infrastructure to maintain a city-wide service and have been able to provide internet connections at less expense than a private company. This provides a free, flexible internet connection at little cost to tax-payers. In return it would hopefully attract business to the city and provide more local jobs. Seidenberg's comment on municipal wifi was, "that could be one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard."