Another Burden Forced On Broadband Users

Ed. is not amused that 1.9 million AT&T broadband users are stuck with having to change their e-mail addresses for the second time in a year.

The Chicago Tribune tells us that Comcast Corp.'s $72 billion acquisition in November of AT&T's high-speed cable system is forcing the second address switch in little more than a year. More than 100,000 Chicago-area customers will watch the part of their e-mail address that appears after the "@" sign change from "attbi.com" to "comcast.net."

The changes are scheduled to take effect in late March and also will affect Internet settings controlling Web page publishing and access to various newsgroups. AT&T subscribers will be able to change their addresses and adjust Internet settings online.

The changes are scheduled to take effect in late March. E-mail sent to the "attbi.com" address will be delivered for a paltry 60 days after the switch.

Ed. considers these repeatedly forced updates of his electronic address book to be a monstrous pain in the ass. ... Not to mention the e-mail that users will lose after paying BIG BUX to sign up with a seemingly stable company capable of providing dependable service. Some bright, technologically adept legislator in Washington, D.C. ought to propose a bill in Congress to force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to maintain existing e-mail domains and addresses for a minimum of five years after a company is sold or purchased.