Austin360 blogs > Digital Savant > Archives > 2006 > September > 14 > Entry
Cell survey from Bizarro World
Sometimes a press release comes across your desk that is so ridiculous, so on its face untrue, that you will find yourself doubting the veracity of anything that comes from that news source for years to come.
McLaughlin & Associates released the results of a “national survey of 1,000 adult wireless phone users, who are likely voters, via telephone on August 27-28, 2006.”
Here is the stunning first conclusion of the survey:
86% are satisfied with their wireless phone service
86 percent! Do you know ONE person in your life who is satisfied with their cell phone service? The rest of the questions/results have to do with government regulation of the cell phone industry (that must have been an awesomely fun survey to conduct; cell phone users love digging into the issue of government regulation); but you have to doubt every single thing in the rest of the results of this highly unscientific survey when you see that first conclusion.
86 percent? Really? Where, in Bizarro World?
Here are the results of my equally unscientific survey, in which I called one person (me) to get my thoughts on cell phone service in Bizarro World.
FACT: In Bizarro World, there is no such thing as a dropped call.
FACT: In Bizarro World, you don’t have 15 weird unexplained charges on your cell phone.
FACT: In Bizarro World, you don’t get charged for cell phone options you will never, ever use.
FACT: In Bizarro World, you don’t deal with arcane cell phone plans and coverage areas that heavily penalize you for going a few minutes over your plan or calling from the boonies. (Er, Bizarro Boonies.)
FACT: In Bizarro World, 86% of customers are satisfied with their wireless service.
The results of my survey are clear: We should all move to McLaughlin & Associates’ Bizarro World.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Phones
Comments
By chip
September 14, 2006 6:03 PM | Link to this
Actually, it's not Bizarro World...it's the world of phone company astroturf lobbying. (It's the worst government money can buy.)
There is a movement to get a "bill of rights" for cell phone users. In fact, California had one, until the lobbyists got the state utilities commission to overturn it.
It's clear from the questions asked, this study was launched to manufacture opposition to consumers rights efforts. While the phone companies certainly do have a right to debate these issues--they should be doing just that: debate the issues, not run deceptive campaigns.