It was with some shock that I saw numerous Chappy residents had taken out a half-page ad in the August 15 Gazette entreating Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and President Obama to bring high-speed internet to their island. Clearly Chappy needs quality and fairly priced high speed internet, but it is a sad statement about the current state of the telecommunication choices facing many millions of Americans that Comcast is the only option. I have had countless experiences with Comcast in many different locations over many years and not one was positive. Comcast routinely has the lowest level of customer satisfaction among its competitors, of which there are very few.

Where I live (San Francisco) the word Comcast is usually preceded or followed by an unprintable word. I know of no other corporation that has done more to frustrate, anger, mistreat and overcharge its victims/customers while providing unreliable and often misrepresented service. A phone call between a Comcast employee and a customer airing on youtube is worth listening to. The amply compensated Mr. Roberts ($32 million in 2010) seems to care primarily about the expansion of his empire and increasing short-term profits. If Chappy residents succeed in getting Comcast to come over, my sympathies will be with them.

John Parker Willis

Vineyard Haven
and San Francisco