The state senate is telling cable and satellite television companies—and phone companies that want to compete with them—that customer service is a priority.
Some senators point to the cell phone industry as an industry that has plenty of competition for customers but lousy customer service. They have complained of long waits to get through to an operator, slow response times, and inconvenience caused by outages….
Some of them say it’s bad enough in the cable industry now.They want it better when telephone companies are allowed to compete in local markets.
Senator Joan Bray of St. Louis has written customer response language into the bill.. She says a lot of common customer courtesy has been lost in the increasingly technological world. She says those who control the public rights of way should expect minimal, at least, customer service.
Senator Charlie Shields of St. Joseph had argued that open-market competition would mean improved customer service. Bray says practical experience in the cell phone industry shows that’s not what happens in real life without laws mandating it.
The senate still has several more amendments to consider before the bill can get to its first vote.