New Verizon DSL Fees > call it what it is: price INCREASE

reply to tmc8080

Re: call it what it is: price INCREASE

Which brings up the same old argument since the FUSF fee was first introduced.

Would you rather see a bill for $24.88 or $23.98? Your saying that the bill for $23.98 is an INCREASE over $24.88. Yet, if Verizon stopped listing charges and just had:

Internet: $23.98

You would freak out. But at least you wouldn't be stressed over an "increase" that lowered your monthly bill. Is the raising of this fee good? Absolutely not. But knock it off with the "Let's call it what it is, an increase" threads. The FUSF fee went into Verizon's pocket from the get go. They handed over the money to the FCC and the FCC handed it right back. Their clever model for naming charges and fees never ceases to amaze me, but in the end I pay a monthly bill with one check, not the individual charges. The dollar amount on my checks went down, so I will call it what it is: a price decrease.

reply to markofmayhem
Not to counter nit-pick, but there STILL is no naked DSL, and I know I'm not wrong about this-- that the POTS charges such as fcc line charge, and a few state and local taxes have been on the rise as of late, much to counter any loss you get over the spanish american war or other taxes so, as to say things are very taxing in dsl/pots land in STILL a widely understated thing.

What ever happened to $14.99 dsl? Was that a game just to make the "books" look good for shareholders? What I'm talking about is shifting of costs away from federally regulated programs into unregulated surcharges much the way cellular companies like Sprint, ATT do, fast and loose, the way they derive a percentage as a basis of how many minutes you use, vs cost of your plan.

What IS happening, is on the "quiet, low-down" Verizon is slowly unwebbing itself from federal regulatory fees. Although it could be argued that state taxes/fees are INCREASING, (anyone in NJ lately feel the pinch?). BP-Amoco almost got lynched out of Alaska because those hard working guys almost lost their $1,000 check they get every year due to oil profits. What Verizon is or isn't doing with rates/fees is almost beside the point. DSL will be at a tipping point around 2009 anyway. There will be millions of fttp subscribers and only a few hundred thousand dsl subscribers provided they deploy without the 1 man works, 15 stand around and watch for moral support.

Really, look at the bills carefully over the next couple of months, you may see a slight decrease in the bill, but SOMETHING is a-foot to raise it back up.. 5-13 cents is not a big deal either way, but if you live in one of a handful of states where Verizon does business, you will see added STATE charges to your bill. The greedy bastards at the state-houses around the country..

reply to markofmayhem
Beyond you just being silly about this let's look at it from the beginning.

Before this "break out" was ever introduced I was paying $54.95 a month on my DSL service.

After they were so kind to "show me" that I am paying this fee by making it another line item, my bill went up accordingly. It was not 52.55 + 2.40 = 54.95.

So tell me again how this wasn't an increase.

Silly?

My bill went down 90 cents. Down, as in decrease, as in I now pay less per month than previously. Decrease, not increase. In 1998 I paid $78.57 per month for BA DSL if you wish to go back. My bill has gone down ever since. Even when the FUSF was first introduced, my bill went down because the price for the DSL itself was lowered from $39.99 per month to $34.99 per month. Now, with all taxes, surcharges, bells and whistles, I pay $23.98, which is 90 cents cheaper than the last 6 months. Not sure what the problem is here. Completely not understanding how one can pay less money per month and shout "increase!".

BTW, what package do you have that your paying $54.95 for dynamic IP DSL in August of 2006? Or are the prices lower, now. Is that another increase? If so, please "increase" all of my bills!

That price was the original DSL Pro package (3MB down) that SBC sold as I have the same. And in the beginning the price went up when they "broke out" this fee. They didnt do as the above post states and break it out from your bill which still equaled $54.95. It was there in addition to your $54.95.

I now pay 21.95 before their "BS fees" for the same package, but only because I proactively rerate my service when they make an "introductory offer". Something a majority of people do not do. I am sure if I never called them to rerate, which I have done 3 times now, I would still be paying $54.95.

Point is still the same, so dont try to sugar coat what they are doing. They advertise one price, which you can't get because they have these hidden fees attached to it. Every single price advertised should be the price before taxes (as those vary from state/county/city). They do not adhere to that and being that this is a voluntary assessed fee, they are providing false information to their customers.

Sure overall prices have gone down in relation to the speed. As they should over time. No sane person would argue that. However, don't try to hide or sugar coat the BS fee and keep in mind we wouldnt even be having this coversation if AT&T's low DSL speed was advertised as $14.99 (including BS fee) instead of $12.99 with the BS fee disclosure statement only. Truth in adverstising is all I am asking for.