Over the past decade, Verizon lured customers with too-good-to-be-true deals that wound up unleashing a fresh hell of problems: prohibitive contracts, unsavory sales tactics and mystery fees. All the while, Bright House was lurking in the shadows and working out Rocky-style, beefing up its services and technology. They moved in for the kill late summer, their salesmen swarming neighborhoods with rock-solid sales pitches that came with offers to provide bundled services a good 20 percent or so cheaper than Verizon’s. In a flash of blue and yellow, the Bright House trucks invaded Tampa neighborhoods, making the switch everywhere. The scene was almost cinematic, like seeing the playground bully get his just desserts.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2011.