Groundhog Day? Rural internet firm says Comcast messes up its bill every month, squashing its prospects

Jeffrey Houser launched the rural internet-service provider Rednet by shooting Wi-Fi from ridge-top antennas to customers from Punxsutawney (PA) of groundhog fame to homespun Blairsville (PA). His vision was to bring the internet to rural areas. And all was going well until Rednet connected off-campus apartments for students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, expanding beyond his rural base, but also encroaching on Comcast's turf.  And that’s when, Houser says, his company ran into the buzz saw of Comcast’s billing and collections department. “Connectivity” fees and taxes that were never on Rednet’s bills began appearing, tacking an extra 20% to 30% a month and wiping out his profits. Comcast charged him for an equipment upgrade it didn’t install. Outages plagued Rednet’s network. Comcast initially agreed to credit him. But Houser said it was only about half what he was owed. Comcast refused to credit him — and still refuses — saying these were electric power issues.