jalapen
@bellsouth.ne
| [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective May 1 Looks like P8 is adding a "regulatory recovery fee".
Look at the bottom of the videophone price reduction press relase
»biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050414/sfth···tml?.v=5
"..and a monthly $1.50 regulatory recovery fee, a new fee being introduced on all Packet8 phone numbers effective May 1, 2005." | |
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 mazilo
From Mazilo
Premium
join:2002-05-30
Lilburn, GA | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M Is the "regulatory recovery fee" approved by FCC? | |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
 ·ViaTalk
| said by jalapen:
Looks like P8 is adding a "regulatory recovery fee".
"..and a monthly $1.50 regulatory recovery fee, a new fee being introduced on all Packet8 phone numbers effective May 1, 2005."
Good thing my 1 year contract ends next month. Looks like its going to be the Sunrocket 1 year prepay plan for me | |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29 | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M Do you think P8 is going to inform us of the rate increase? | |
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PJIV
Premium
join:2004-07-13
Niagara Falls, NY | You will NOT be disappointed in that decision. I switched just last month, best thing I ever did! | |
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scooby
Premium
join:2001-05-01
Schaumburg, IL | Regulatory fee is approved by the FCC. Its ghey. | |
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WhyADuck
Premium
join:2003-03-05
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M said by scooby  :Regulatory fee is approved by the FCC. Its ghey. Please cite your source for this information. My understanding is that such fees are NOT required to be collected by any government agency, instead they are just a way to collect more money without jacking up your advertised price, and as such, deceive consumers as to what the actual cost of the service will be. | |
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jalapen
@bellsouth.ne | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M So far I'm happy with my P8 service, but I agree with WhyADuck...these fees are a bunch of BS. | |
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| | | schdy37
join:2004-12-07
Commack, NY | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M Ladies and Gentlemen pause before you leap. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. Remember that saying. Leave for a better reason than $1.50 month increase. Read the complaints from other VOIP ers and make the right choice. | |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M said by schdy37 :Ladies and Gentlemen pause before you leap. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. Remember that saying. Leave for a better reason than $1.50 month increase. Read the complaints from other VOIP ers and make the right choice. If it was a 1.50 rate increase it wouldn't bother me as much. But if you start letting voip companies get away with the same bogus line item charges that POTS companies do they will not stop doing it.
And as far as reliability Sunrocket doesn't seem to have a lot of problems. Lots of additional features however.
And having my nose cut off might be an improvement to my face.:) | |
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scooby
Premium
join:2001-05-01
Schaumburg, IL
2 edits | said by WhyADuck :Please cite your source for this information. My understanding is that such fees are NOT required to be collected by any government agency, instead they are just a way to collect more money without jacking up your advertised price, and as such, deceive consumers as to what the actual cost of the service will be. »www.fcc.gov/fees/regfees.html
packet8 is betting voip will get regulated soon and/or screwing their customers. | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
1 edit | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M said by scooby :said by WhyADuck :Please cite your source for this information. My understanding is that such fees are NOT required to be collected by any government agency, instead they are just a way to collect more money without jacking up your advertised price, and as such, deceive consumers as to what the actual cost of the service will be. » www.fcc.gov/fees/regfees.htmlpacket8 is betting voip will get regulated soon and/or screwing their customers. Your link is for regulatory fees (like USF, etc.) The "regulatory recovery fee" is not an FCC-sanctioned fee, it is a price hike, with the justification that they may someday be regulated. Perhaps I need audio-visual aids..... | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| quote:
Regulatory fee is approved by the FCC. Its ghey
Regulatory recovery fees are not approved by the FCC, nor are they government mandated.
They are rate hikes designed as bogus official sounding fees so you blame Uncle Sam instead of the company in question. They also allow companies to tack on price hikes below the line, allowing them to sometimes disguise real prices in adverts.
They began when incumbent bells, who pay into the USF much more than cable providers, felt such contributions unfair and designed the idea to direct ire at the government....
Make no mistake though, it's about as much official "fee" as I am albino walrus. | |
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SipSource
join:2005-02-01
| This can't be sanctioned by the FCC in much the same way VoIP providers are not 'required' to have 911 or charge FET. They can't blow off regulations about 911 and at the same time cite the FCC as the reason they're collecting an extra 7.5% "fee"!
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SipSource: VoIP Uptime Reports & User Reviews Win an SPA-2000! | |
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laserjobs
Premium
join:2004-05-02
Las Vegas, NV | At least with my $1.50 at Lingo they include 911 calling. | |
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chaud
Serious Business
join:2004-07-09
Anderson, SC | Tis a trivial fee, but its rather stupid, and when there are other providers out there without it... | |
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Drex
Beer..It's What's For Dinner
Premium
join:2000-02-24
La Place, LA
 ·AT&T Southeast
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M said by Trimline :BellSouth imposes a Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee of $2.97 per month to offset its costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by state and federal regulatory bodies and state regulatory orders affecting their broadband. BellSouth’s Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee is not a tax or charge imposed by a government entity. You know I've always thought of things like this as the cost of doing business.
Let's say I own a business and rent a place. Maybe I decide to pass along the cost of my rent to my paying customers, so I increase the price of my products.
I do NOT charge them an extra "fee" when they are at the checkout.
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Star Wars Galaxies -- The best form of birth control on the market. | |
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| | gatzdon
join:2002-10-25
Lake Zurich, IL
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M said by Drex :said by Trimline :BellSouth imposes a Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee of $2.97 per month to offset its costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by state and federal regulatory bodies and state regulatory orders affecting their broadband. BellSouth’s Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee is not a tax or charge imposed by a government entity. You know I've always thought of things like this as the cost of doing business. Let's say I own a business and rent a place. Maybe I decide to pass along the cost of my rent to my paying customers, so I increase the price of my products. I do NOT charge them an extra "fee" when they are at the checkout. Now that would be hilarious, imagine paying your bill at a restaurant and they decide to itemize costs associated with "Health Department Compliance", "Waiter's Unemployment Insurance", "Union Fees", etc...
Heck, I don't buy cigarettes, but I didn't think when you buy cigarettes, they break out and itemize all the state, county, and federal taxes. And there are even stamps to prove they were paid. Same for gasoline. And that would be a more relevant situation to itemize.
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$100 placed at 7 percent interest compounded quarterlyfor 200 years will increase to more than $100,000,000 --by which time it will be worth nothing.- Lazarus Long | |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD | I called P8 to verify. After a transfer and hold, the rep confirmed that this $1.50 fee would start May 1. | |
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scooby
Premium
join:2001-05-01
Schaumburg, IL
1 edit | My bad long week. From comcast:
The Regulatory Recovery Fee recovers costs that the Comcast Digital Voice™ service incurs in order to ensure the adequate support of various public services. These costs may include charges imposed by state and local governments to help pay for emergency services such as fire and rescue, and for the relay center that transmits and translates calls for hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals. The Regulatory Recovery Fee also recovers costs related to federal and/or state programs that guarantee affordable voice services for all Americans, including consumers with low incomes, those living in areas where the costs of providing telephone service is high, schools and libraries and rural health care providers. The Regulatory Recovery Fee is not a tax or a government-required fee. | |
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chaud
Serious Business
join:2004-07-09
Anderson, SC | I really wish I had the option of dropping Packet8. I would drop them over this if there was another VOIP provider around, and I wasn't in this contract thing. | |
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Kathryn76
@comcast.net
| If you look at the page for what the fcc is actually asking for in "recovery" costs -- I would rather pay that!!
.25 cents per phone, not $1.75 like Cingular is billing me for their "fake" charge!
Here is the FCC page for that.
»hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/a···04A7.pdf | |
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Daviey
join:2003-02-26
Lakeland, FL | I would rather pay a price increase than something that even remotely resembles a tax, especially one that is fake. A bone-headed move.
David | |
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smj
join:2003-05-08
Fostoria, OH
1 edit | The thing that really gets me, like a previous poster mentioned.... when were they going to let us know?? I think a thirty day notice is customary for a price increase. | |
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| te100
join:2004-12-17
Daleville, AL
·VoicePulse
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M TOS: RATE CHANGES. 8x8 may change the prices for the Services and toll charges from time to time. 8x8 may decrease prices without any advance notice. In the event of a change in prices or toll charges, 8x8 will post such changed rates to the web site currently located at »www.packet8.net.
There is nothing there as of yet about any new fees> | |
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smj
join:2003-05-08
Fostoria, OH
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M Just got my notification in the Packet 8 Post that was emailed to me today.
Even though they state in the TOS that they may change prices with no advance notice, one would think they would not do so just to stay on good terms with their customers. I can't imagine anyone that would be happy about a new charge that just magically appears on their bill. | |
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ib50MbSoon
Formerly TwoKDialup
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Coloma, MI | So these rat bastards tie their customers to a one year contract and then raise the rates? Don't contracts work both ways? Oh well, hardly worth fighting for $9. Six months to go and I'm done with "Racket8" | |
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| SDHank8
join:2005-04-10
Escondido, CA
| Re: Isn't that just special! (first a disclaimer: I don't use Packet8, I tried 'em a while back and didn't like 'em)
Now that's an interesting point. Often the wording of year long agreements is such that a rate change provides an "instant out". I know that many people have used this kind of thing to get out of cell phone contracts. Check the wording of your agreement carefully. The company *should not* be allowed to arbitrarily change the agreement without some sort of recourse for the consumer. That tends to violate contract law. | |
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Packet 8
join:2005-01-21
Dayton, OH | Re: Isn't that just special! Vonage already has the $1.50 charge
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A Packet8 Reseller | |
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| | | SipSource
join:2005-02-01
| Re: Isn't that just special! True, true... so it's really an Equal Opportunity Bogus Fee!
And should you be using the "Packet 8" name if you're not an official representative of the company?
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SipSource: VoIP Uptime Reports & User Reviews Win an SPA-2000! | |
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Packet 8
join:2005-01-21
Dayton, OH
| Re: Isn't that just special! said by SipSource :True, true... so it's really an Equal Opportunity Bogus Fee! And should you be using the "Packet 8" name if you're not an official representative of the company? Sure why not...see my signature explains it all. It has been alright with mods aslong as I explain I am a reseller. 
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A Packet8 Reseller | |
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bbqjohn
join:2002-12-01
Pemberville, OH
| This is disheartening but to be expected from all Voip companies eventually. Even if they do not become regulated, the companies will see a way to make more money and will not be able to resist it. I predict, even if I switch, that the next guy will do the same thing. There will be no hiding from it.
I don't like it but compared to my $60+ verizon phone bill this small fee is nothing. | |
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WhyADuck
Premium
join:2003-03-05
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M said by bbqjohn :This is disheartening but to be expected from all Voip companies eventually. Even if they do not become regulated, the companies will see a way to make more money and will not be able to resist it. I predict, even if I switch, that the next guy will do the same thing. There will be no hiding from it. I don't like it but compared to my $60+ verizon phone bill this small fee is nothing. I'm sorry but I strongly disagree with you that fraudulent advertising of the monthly rate and consumer fraud should become something "expected from all VoIP companies." In plain point of fact, NOT all VoIP companies are taking advantage of this opportunity to gouge their customers. For example, consider this press release from VoicePulse that came out today:
VoicePulse Lowers Startup Costs and Drops Tax
Company lowers first month cost by $50 and drops unwanted tax
JAMESBURG, NJ (April 15, 2005) - VoicePulse Inc. announced today a promotion that reduces the startup costs of their most popular nationwide calling plan, the America Unlimited Special Offer, by $50. The America Unlimited Special Offer allows consumers to make the jump to Voice-over-IP (VoIP) for only $24.99/month for unlimited local & US long distance calling.
“We’ve been able to build and maintain an efficient operation without sacrificing customer satisfaction or service quality,” says Ravi Sakaria, VoicePulse President & CEO. “Combined with our increased scale, this translates into lower costs for VoicePulse and savings for our customers.”
In addition, VoicePulse has stopped charging Federal Excise Tax (FET), saving customers an additional 3% each month. VoicePulse is now the only broadband phone service provider that does not charge any unnecessary taxes or regulatory fees other than common sales tax.
“There is no clarity regarding whether or not the Federal Excise Tax applies to VoIP service, so we have decided to err in favor of the consumer,” says Sakaria.
VoicePulse continues to pay Federal Excise Tax to its underlying telecommunications providers, as those services are still regulated and subject to taxes and tariffs.
VoicePulse has won awards from highly regarded technical journals and trade magazines such as PC Magazine, PC World, and DesignTechnica. VoicePulse also boasts having the top award from Broadband Reports, which is based solely on customer reviews.
ABOUT VOICEPULSE
VoicePulse is a New Jersey based communications company that uses its VoIP network to deliver advanced features and high-quality phone service to residential and small-business consumers. The company leads the industry in delivering innovative features and excellent customer service.
For more information about VoicePulse, please contact:
Rima Vaghasiya
732-339-5100
rima @ voicepulse.com The above press release was seen at »www.primezone.com/newsroom/?d=76351 and you will note that VoicePulse has decided not to charge any taxes or fees other than those that a governmental unit has actually required them to charge (e.g. state sales tax on sales to NJ residents because they are located in New Jersey).
There is no reason that other companies could not take the same approach. And as customers, we don't know what this money is going for. If they say they are collecting a tax then they are supposed to remit it to the taxing authority (though how would we know if they did?), but when they call it a fee then there is no requirement they send it anyplace.
In this case it sounds like the company under discussion is saying, "We're spending too much on lawyers so we'll tack on a fee to help offset their costs." Well the problem is, that is a cost of doing business. You don't advertise one price and then arbitrarily tack on a fee when your costs get too high. And just because your competitor engages in consumer fraud doesn't give you carte blanche to to likewise. Take your complaint about the unfair competition to the appropriate authorities, or file a lawsuit, or go to the press, or do what you need to in order to stop the unfair competition, but don't take the attitude that just because others in the industry are acting like common criminals, that gives you the right to do so also.
All I will say is, I will choose to do business with companies that do not try to gouge their customers, given the choice. One reason I hate the traditional telephone companies so much is because for years their motto seems to have been "screw the customer", and now unfortunately we have some rotten apples in the VoIP industry that are emulating their evil ways. Well, as VoIP customers you don't have to deal with any particular VoIP company - they do not have geographic monopolies like some phone companies - so my choice would be to avoid dealing with companies that play these sorts of deceptive games. It's up to you, choose to deal with an honest company or choose to deal with a dishonest one, but if everybody stays with the dishonest ones then they should not be surprised if five or ten years from now their VoIP bills are as loaded with crap as phone bills are today. And that is all I will say for now. | |
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| | only4luca
join:2001-10-25
Brooklyn, NY | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M Well, I wish this wasn't just a marketing scheme...wait for them to get more customers, bang! Tax is back...
/l | |
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muttdog
join:2003-11-04
USA
| Wow I have to chime in on this.
For over a year I have been defending packet8, and continuing on with their improving service.
THis fee, TICKS me off. I will start looking elsewhere for service. The whole reason I choose VOIP is to avoid paying fees after fees after fees.
I dont care whether Vonage has it, or lingo has it. Verizon Local service has it too. My cell phone does too. Every POTS has it too. | |
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fire100
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Twin Lake, MI
clubs:
| While $1.50 is not much too wine about, it does deceive from the advertised price. If it was the federal government requiring it, I would not have a problem with it. But if it is just a way to add hidden fees, I am going to be upset.
Why not just be truthful and all the rates by $1.50, this is what XM did, they raised their price from $9.99 to $12.95. While I was not happy with this raise, I am still paying it, because all services go up over time. At least they did not add a hidden fee.
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Weather Forums | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
3 edits | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M quote:
Why not just be truthful and all the rates by $1.50
It's like steroids in baseball.
They think if they don't start using it, they'll be at a competitive disadvantage. | |
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IanR
join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ
| While any new fee is annoying I have the following thoughts
o Other providers are also beginning to charge a similar fee
o It does appear that VoIP companies are coming under closer gvt/quasi gvt scrutiny and such scrutiny means higher costs to them
o I am not going to switch service over a small fee, it's too much like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. I will wait and see. Unfortunately I believe such a charge will become standard as quasi regulation becomes the norm | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective May 1 By even calling it a "fee", one is buying into the nonsense....
"Fees" are government mandated. This is a price-hike. | |
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JE
Can I Taste It? Mmmm
Premium
join:2000-12-15
Brooklyn, NY | Yeha I saw it on my deactivated account "bill" on the website. Very shocked to see it.
JE | |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| They are staying competitive ... other carriers charge it, so they view that fee as an incidental, not to be in folks' evaluation criteria of different carriers. P8 remains a great value for its happy customers.
WARNING: wording says "all Packet8 phone numbers" which means the fee applies even to virtual phone numbers...it's not per account, or per device, it's per phone number.
This goofy quasi-official looking fee business started when Sprint (the long distance carrier) started imposing their "real estate tax recovery fee" supposedly to help them offset their real estate taxes for all their locations around the country. Then AT&T chimed in with their in-state connection fee. We now feel the current results.
As pricing pressure continues, while the companies get bigger and the investors want to see some profits, we are likely to see additional "below the line" surcharges. | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M quote:
As pricing pressure continues, while the companies get bigger and the investors want to see some profits, we are likely to see additional "below the line" surcharges.
Until someday, when we get an FCC that holds companies accountable for being misleading, instead of believing that an utter and total deregulatory and hands-off approach cures cancer and washes dishes.... | |
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| artisticcheese
join:2004-11-09
Carrollton, TX
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VoiceStick
1 edit | said by RockyBB :As pricing pressure continues, while the companies get bigger and the investors want to see some profits, we are likely to see additional "below the line" surcharges. There is difference between raising up prices and misleading customers by adding bogus fees looking like government surchages.
I think outcry here is not becouse of price hike by itself but the way it was done. It's like in latest MTV "Boiling points". Here is your card for free coffee but card will costs 5$. | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M Add these fees to my FCC/FTC WTF list, right along with television faith healers milking people out of millions, and Cortislim and other BS "medications" that boldly lie....
Yet Janet Jackson shows a boobie and the world stops. | |
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