Faulted for years for rate increases above and beyond the cost of inflation, a lack of consumer-focused programming options amid sprawling package plans, and outright hostile customer service, these companies are considered the epitome of anti-consumer businesses. Recently, Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have faulted multichannel video programming distributors, or MVPDs, for what they claim is a "$20 billion " annual market in renting set-top boxes. Just like newspaper publishers, telephone utilities, stockbrokers, record companies, bookstores, travel agencies, and big box retailers did when the Internet swept away their business models.