Just passing this on. It should be of interest. It may have shown up here already, but for those that missed it, take a look-see.

Here's the full text of the memo from TCI Cable COO Barry Marshall to the troops:

As we move into the regulatory environment, it's important to remember something vital ... Under regulation, we can't simply adjust our economics anymore. We have to take the revenue from the sources that we can, when we can. To that end I want to remind each of you that the transaction charges for upgrades, downgrades, customer-caused service calls, VCR hookups, etc. are vital new revenue sources to us. We estimate that by charging for these functions we can recover almost half of what we're losing from rate adjustments.

We have to have discipline. Much like the install fee problem, we cannot be dissuaded from the charges simply because customers object. It will take a while but they'll get used to it...they pay it to other service providers all the time..and it isn't free with the phone company!

Please hang in on this and installs, and we can still have a great fourth quarter when we have out heaviest volume. The best news of all is, we can blame it on reregulation and the government now. Let's take advantage of it! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

My comment: there's nothing really outrageous here until you hit the last paragraph. They're allowed to set certain charges under the Act and FCC rules. Do you often not take a tax deduction you're entitled to under the IRS rules?

But the tone anchored in the last graph is outrageous. Remember that New York Times rule, kids. If you don't want to read about it on the front page, don't put it in writing.

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy of this, of course. If anyone has any REAL information on where this came from originally, I'm all ears. -- Stanton McCandlish mech@eff.org 1:109/1103 EFF Online Activist & SysOp O P E N P L A T F O R M C R Y P T O P O L I C Y O N L I N E R I G H T S N E T W O R K I N G V I R T U A L C U L T U R E I N F O : M E M B E R S H I P @ E F F . O R G