> extremely hostile when you try to get cable card service "whats that? Oh , we'll need a contract from you and a large deposit."

That depends heavily on the market. Comcast is internally dysfunctional. Although they've achieved significant technological unification, they have roughly a gazillion Battling Business Units serving different regions as a result of mergers and other insanity. Each is run by its own local tyrants, some of whom routinely ignore both law and corporate policy, while others behave quite reasonably. The dysfunction is further amplified because even within a single unit's region, local franchise agreements vary in details.