IBNbatutaa, everything is based on AOL. life is but a recursive function. ATHM better get their act together or they will lose Cablevision,and maybe Comcast.
msnbc.com
STRAINED RELATIONS
What's more, most of the customer growth has come in just the last couple of months as the service and support situation has worsened — which simply means that large numbers of customers may only now be growing frustrated enough to begin vocally complaining.
The situation appears to be straining relations between AtHome and at least one major cable system operator: Cablevision Systems Inc. of Woodbury, Long Island, N.Y. One top official in Cablevision last week said, “We are in discussions with AtHome to see that they meet some minimal standards of support. Otherwise we may cease providing the service.”
Losing Cablevision would of course be a public relations disaster for AtHome. And Cablevision hardly dampened speculation when a company spokesman declined to say anything about the matter beyond a carefully worded statement, saying, “We are not pleased if any of our customers are not happy. We are working with AtHome to address these customer issues.”
Officials at AtHome confirmed that such talks were underway and included a meeting with Cablevision officials in New York last week. But Robert Tomassi, AtHome's senior vice president of operations, characterized the talks as routine and similar to those that AtHome has been having with other cable operators as well.
Whatever the impetus for the meetings, AtHome investors had better hope they lead quickly to greatly improved service — and customer support to go with it — or this currently high-flying Internet stock may soon be returning to earth. After all, on the Internet as anywhere else, getting a customer is only half the battle. After that you've got to keep him.
The difference with AOL and ATHM's problems is that ATHM will have to spend about a billion dollars on every 1 million subs they sign up. And even then that may not be enough(generalization,not exact facts).
Hiram |
