Terrible

Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg doesn't give many interviews, and if you saw the article that appeared in Saturday's San Francisco Chronicle, you might understand why. In the course of a wide-ranging dialogue with Chronicle editors and writers, Seidenberg ridiculed municipal Wi-Fi networks ("One of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard"), encouraged a rewrite of the Telecom Act ("The first thing we'd do is pre-empt the states. That's priority No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3") and most of all revealed enormous contempt for his subscribers ("Why in the world would you think your [cell] phone would work in your house? The customer has come to expect so much. They want it to work in the elevator; they want it to work in the basement"). Apparently, he stopped just short of assailing puppy dogs, ice cream and rainbows.

Seidenberg's words are shocking in any context, but that his comments originate not from a closed-door meeting or an off-the-record conversation but from a face-to-face meeting with the mainstream press make them even more unsettling. He's essentially speaking directly to his subscribers and not only telling them their expectations for quality service are outsized and absurd, but that Verizon Wireless' own advertising claims--you know, all those "Can you hear me now?" spots trumpeting the carrier's network coverage--are patently untrue. Seidenberg adds that it's not Verizon's responsibility to provide subscribers with coverage maps or information on dead zones, arguing that there are four other nationwide networks and all of them have their failings, too. So there.

Seidenberg's contempt for the same consumers who pay his salary is appalling. His outburst reminds me of a great line from Kevin Smith's movie "Clerks," wherein beleaguered video store worker Randal says, "This would be a great job if it wasn't for all the [bleeping] customers." Seidenberg's right about one thing, though: There are four other nationwide network operators--and I wouldn't be surprised if every Verizon Wireless subscriber who's read his Chronicle interview is looking into their service plans right about now.

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