US Broadband industry, are you listening?
Our top 10 gripes - Number 9
(old news - 04:18PM Thursday Mar 24 2005)
Over the next few days we're going to run a reverse countdown of what we believe to be the top 10 problems that beset the US broadband industry, one problem at a time. 9. Stop hiding additional fees Include everything in the marketing materials, do not pick a nice round number, like 39.95, for a billboard, and then hand a customer a bill for 43.89 at the end of the month! Apart from sales tax, which is normally below the headline price on goods and services, all other special costs should be bundled into the headline rate. in fact, we don't even want to know about them! Where there are very minor regional differences in fees, simply swallow them rather than adding them below the line and out of our pocket. It is perfectly possible for a broadband ISP to offer a flat-rate service in multiple markets then cough up various different fees and charges to local governments. Our past news articles on USF show that customers do not enjoy below the line additions to their monthly bills, ESPECIALLY not ones slapped on after a contract is entered into. You can look at the rogues gallery of charges in this old article. Since then, nothing has changed. Honesty in advertising is overdue. Previously in this series: #10 : Get out of the slow lane!
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 jimbo2150
join:2004-05-10
Youngstown, OH | Ditto Ditto | |
|  | RJ44
join:2001-10-19
Nashville, TN | Re: Ditto All I can say is, if this made the top 10 list of problems, BB is in better shape than I thought.
RJ | |
| | | sharksfan3
Premium
join:2004-02-16
Poughkeepsie, NY | Re: Ditto care to post your top 10 list? | |
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not BPL
| Re: ABTG/CON-ED BPL is FCC part 15 COMPLIANT ABTG/CON-ED BPL is FCC part 15 COMPLIANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RE: ARRL lies caught again !!!
=======================================
Chris Olert, Consolidated Edison spokesperson, says that conEdison is in compliance with the FCC's radio frequency interference "parameters"
Broadband over Power Line World™ #27
New York City, New York
March 23, 2005
By Marc Strassman
Reporter
Broadband over Power Line World
Broadband Wireless Access World
Grid World
Unwired LA
Etopia Media News Networks
This page and its contents are copyright © 2005 by Etopia Media News Networks. All rights in all media reserved.
The ARRL, an association of amateur radio operators, recently filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C., alleging that the broadband over power line (BPL) trial now being conducted in Briarcliff Manor, New York, by Consolidated Edison and Ambient Corporation continues to produce radio frequency emissions that seriously interfere with and impair the ability of ham radio operators to use their FCC-licensed radio stations.
You can listen to comments about this situation from Dave Sumner, CEO of the ARRL, by clicking here.
» www.etopiamedia.net/bplw/pages/bplw24-5551212.html
You can read Mr. Sumner's remarks to a recent conference about different means of delivering broadband Internet access, which was held at Columbia University, by clicking here.
Etopia Media's Broadband over Power Line World (BPLW) spoke briefly today with Chris Olert, a spokesperson for Consolidated Edison, to get that organization's take on the ARRL complaint.
Mr. Olert told BPLW "the FCC has acknowledged that Con Edison complies with its parameters."
To listen to Mr. Olert's comments on this subject in their entirety, click here.
» www.etopiamedia.net/bplw/audio/chrisolert2.0.wma | |
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not BPL
| Re: ABTG/CON-ED BPL is FCC part 15 COMPLIANT 200mbps BPL-powers 2 HDTVs + 4 regular TVs sharing one electric wire---> CEBIT, GERMANY
The mains attraction
Further to my story about the 200Mbit/sec mains links (see elsewhere on this site) here is a picture of one in action. It uses modules from the Spanish company DS2 and is delivering two HD video streams at around 25Mbits/sec each, and four standard TV streams. You may just be able to make out the plug-in DS2 modems that do the trick – they look like mains power adapters. Panasonic claims its techology is unique in offering quality of service – that is guaranteed timely delivery of packets. But developers of both rival techologies say they too support QoS, and there certainly seemed to be no dropped frames in the demonstration I saw. You won’t be able to buy those DS2 modems – the company sells its technology for others to use in products. But booth neighbour Corinex, which uses DS2 technology, says it will be selling a 90-euro modem into the UK in a couple of months.
» labs.pcw.co.uk/2005/03/_further_to_my_.html
» biz.yahoo.com/iw/041026/074896.html?printer=1 | |
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no 4 BPL
| Re: ABTG/CON-ED BPL is FCC part 15 COMPLIANT Telecom Trends: BPL Poised for Rapid Growth as access technology
Posted on: 03/24/2005
Broadband over power line (BPL), a technology that uses the electricity power grid to bring broadband signals into buildings, is ready to take off, according to a report from Telecom Trends International Inc. Global revenue will reach $4.4 billion by 2011, says the firm.
Telecom Trends says that broadband power line communications is well-positioned to compete head on with DSL and cable modem technologies for a share of the broadband access market.
According to the report, there were significant BPL commercial rollouts last year, and dozens of trials are taking place on all the continents. The BPL access services market generated $57.1 million in revenue worldwide in 2004.
The previously single-purpose electricity distribution system now has a new function, says Naqi Jaffery, president at Telecom Trends. There are no longer any serious technical limitations to the deployment of BPL for high-speed Internet access, he adds.
While there is no global standard for BPL access, each vendor offers its own proprietary solution, says the firm, although BPL does use existing infrastructure, which lowers the cost of deployment and provisions services at competitive prices.
Jaffery says every household connected to the power grid can be offered BPL by the power utility in partnership with the appropriate vendor. As the grid becomes the so-called “third wire” to the premises, the massive scale presented throughout the world will drive costs ever lower, he points out.
» www.phoneplusmag.com/hotnews/53h24124455.html | |
| | | | RJ44
join:2001-10-19
Nashville, TN
| Re: Ditto said by djrobx  :Well, we are at number nine. That leaves 8 more significant issues. I think it's a great point to make. Have you looked at your phone bill lately? A $20 base service becomes over $30 after they're done adding on all these fees. If left unchecked your broadband bill could look like that next. It may matter to some, but it's totally irrelevant to me. The final price is important, sure. But I fail to see why I should give a crap how many line items it takes to get to that final price.
I hope the next 8 are more significant that this one 
RJ | |
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Dogwood
Premium
join:2001-01-14
Texas
clubs: 
| Simple The problem is that are not "up front" when the service is advertised or promoted.
Only after receiving the first bill are they disclosed, this is deceptive, and poor customer relations.
If you are going to charge a "Regulatory Recovery Fee", just bury the damn thing in the service price, putting on the bill just pisses everyone off.
--
Proud Member of: Team Discovery
BroadbandGaming Admin
BBR ET Clan Leader BBr|ET
BBR JO Clan Member BBR-JO | |
| | | | | | RJ44
join:2001-10-19
Nashville, TN
| Re: Simple said by Dogwood :The problem is that are not "up front" when the service is advertised or promoted. Only after receiving the first bill are they disclosed, this is deceptive, and poor customer relations. If you are going to charge a "Regulatory Recovery Fee", just bury the damn thing in the service price, putting on the bill just pisses everyone off. Umm...no, it doesn't piss everyone off. You, maybe, but not me and not lots of other people. Again...wtf is the difference? Scroll to the bottom line of the bill and write the check. Or if it's too much, find a better alternative.
I think it's hilarious, all the moaning over charges and fees. Like, you really *care* how they break it down? Fine, if that makes you happy. You're writing the same check whether they break the fees and stuff out or bill it as a lump sum.
Life is too short for this bullsh*t. | |
| | 
FTCXtreme
join:2005-03-14
New Braintree, MA
| 1.) Availability
2.)The Deployment of new technology
3.)Constant Slow downs
4.)Download limits
5.)The lack of alot of National ISPs
6.)Wireless Deployment
7.)Morons in Tech Support
8.)Speed
9.)Pricing
10.) Hidden Fees
That about summons it all up.
We already know Availability is number 1. And the fact that Verizon is taking its slow sweet time to deploy Fiber(If it was my company alot more would be done by now. | |
| | 
91439306
15,000 Watts of Bass Power
join:2002-10-16
New Milford, CT | This is also a big problem with cellular providers. Your monthly bill never comes out to what they advertise. | |
| 
odog
Cable Centric Vendor Biased
Premium
join:2001-08-05
Norcross, GA
clubs: | forced bundling makes sense.
my only complaint is the deceptive issues requiring contracts and bundling to get the advertised price.
--
disclaimer: my opinions are my own, my employer is not responsible. | |
| | froggy58
join:2002-05-07
Cape Canaveral, FL
| One Price on my bill I'm looking at the bill right now. RoadRunner in FL
It has one number on it and no "additional" anything fees.
$44.95
Now I do remember when we had DSL it started at under $50 and when they added the taxes & fees it was $54.95.
Of course if I pay late there's a $5 fee and that's the only additional comment anywhere on the bill about additional $$$.
No contract, condo assoc pays the basic cable. If I didn't have the condo pay the basic cable, I'd order Earthlink Cable which will install without basic cable being paid.
K | |
| | | mospam
join:2004-09-05
Lakeland, FL
| Re: One Price on my bill said by froggy58 :I'm looking at the bill right now. RoadRunner in FL It has one number on it and no "additional" anything fees. $44.95 Now I do remember when we had DSL it started at under $50 and when they added the taxes & fees it was $54.95. Of course if I pay late there's a $5 fee and that's the only additional comment anywhere on the bill about additional $$$. No contract, condo assoc pays the basic cable. If I didn't have the condo pay the basic cable, I'd order Earthlink Cable which will install without basic cable being paid. K go with earthlink. they're cheaper and use the same lines. | |
| | | |
Sarkoon
@uu.net
| Re: One Price on my bill Earthlink DSL blocks outbound port 25, so you are forced to relay all outgoing email through their smarthost. If you care at all about your freedoms as an internet user, or run your own mail server, this is completely unacceptable.
If they want to cut back on spam, monitor for misuse and block accordingly. Do not censor and criple everyone's internet connection because they MIGHT use it for something bad. | |
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ghosty623
@cox.net
|  Re: One Price on my bill
Unless you send encrypted, any system is going to pick it up regardless of who sends it since its all clear text. Also since its clear text anything can be read from it regardless of whos system it passes through... | |
| | | | | | Freezone
join:2000-09-29
Southfield, MI
| Re: One Price on my bill I think he runs his own server. The paranoid issue is a small one, however ISP's are starting to scan e-mails for virus. Also many people use company e-mail servers port 25 blocking forces them to use nonstandard ports or to use the ISp for outgoing. | |
| 
clevere1
Premium
join:2002-01-06
Vancouver, WA
 ·Qwest.net
| Amen! Those extra fees are just nuts. The same thing happens with your phone bill. I pay 36.00 for my telephone, after all fees and taxes and crap, it's almost 50.00 a month!
--
I picked up a Magic 8-Ball the other day and it said 'Outlook not so good'. I said 'Sure, but Microsoft still ships it.' | |
| 
marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
|  Don't want to know?
I want to know exactly what fees are being charged, even if the charge is a $2 increase in my price to balance out the $4 fee in the next town over. Believing that any business is going to just eat a tax or fee without a corresponding price increase is simply naive. Better to know what level of government is responsible for the tax and the magnitude of the tax. That way, you know exactly who to hold responsible for the proper use of that money.
--
ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet
telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu
Member: American Association of Geographers, American Geophysical Union, American Water Resources Association | |
| | 
justin
Australian
join:1999-05-28
Brooklyn, NY
Host:
IPv6
Business Connectiv..
Home/Office setup ..
Console/Handheld g..
Console Tech
| Re: Don't want to know? I think I mean this: if you agree to pay 39.95 and that is your bill, who the hell cares what it included!? that is THEIR problem. By putting extra fees and what not below the line they are making it our problem.
So if the ILECs and cable companies can stick to an advertised price for the duration of the contract, no, i don't give two hoots how much their janitor is charging them, etc. | |
| | | 
clickwir
join:2001-06-21
Dickson City, PA
| Re: Don't want to know? Excatly. I don't need to know what it costs them to rent the polls in my area or the fee associated with their Teir 1 connections to backbone providers.
I walk into McDonalds and order a burger, I don't expect to see a recipt with a price break down of bun, meat (is it even meat?), toppings, truck driver to deliver the stuff fee, gas bill use fee for cooking it, contractor fee for building the McD, phone bill regulator fees for their one phone they have in the back, or any other fee. I want to know what it's going to cost me. Bottom line. Local tax is understandable if it's included, state it if not, state it. That's all.
Now I would have to say that for rented equipment or something that I can take off my bill that would effect the price, should be listed. If I buy my own cable modem, I want to see that as a seperate listing. | |
| | | | 
IT Guy
Ow, My Balls
Premium
join:2004-07-29
Las Cruces, NM
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| Re: Don't want to know? said by clickwir :(is it even meat?) If you consider horse anus mixed with other fillers as a meat...:D | |
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mr_slick
join:2003-05-22
Lynnwood, WA
| Re: Don't want to know? said by IT Guy :said by clickwir :(is it even meat?) If you consider horse anus mixed with other fillers as a meat...:D As Homer would say: mmmm.... horse anus ahhghh... | |
| | | 
highjinx
join:2000-10-12
Alturas, CA
| said by justin :I think I mean this: if you agree to pay 39.95 and that is your bill, who the hell cares what it included!? that is THEIR problem. By putting extra fees and what not below the line they are making it our problem. But wouldn't you agree that some of those fee's are our problem. I don't know about you, but it bugs me that every regulatory body, be it local or Federal has their hand in my phone bill.
HJ | |
| | | |
justin
Australian
join:1999-05-28
Brooklyn, NY
Host:
IPv6
Business Connectiv..
Home/Office setup ..
Console/Handheld g..
Console Tech
| Re: Don't want to know? said by highjinx :said by justin :I think I mean this: if you agree to pay 39.95 and that is your bill, who the hell cares what it included!? that is THEIR problem. By putting extra fees and what not below the line they are making it our problem. But wouldn't you agree that some of those fee's are our problem. I don't know about you, but it bugs me that every regulatory body, be it local or Federal has their hand in my phone bill. HJ The government has their hand in every bill. They all pay corporate taxes, payroll taxes, and lots more. That is their problem. They are politicising the bill by putting those fees onto it below the line, making them our problem. If they want to tell us about them add a slip of paper. Do petrol stations remind you everytime you buy a gallon of gas just how much goes to the government, no? but petrol companies pay PR firms to advertise that it is a lot.. thats fine.. Just charge me $2.15 per tank of gas, not 65 cents then surprise me with another 1.50 of charges.. | |
| | | | | mdurkin
join:1999-08-11
San Bruno, CA
| Re: Don't want to know? But corporate taxes, payrolls taxes, etc. apply to all businesses, and you generally don't see DSL providers itemizing those sorts of taxes, other than sales taxes. It's the taxes/fees/assessments coming out of government that target specifically telecom that the ISPs are itemizing. In the long run, IMO, it is good that they do that, and it's good that they are politicizing it because having millions of individual constituents complaining to their congresspeople about it is how to get rid of the taxes/fees/assessments, not having the complaints coming just from a few thousand telecom and Internet businesses that today are passing them through as line items that you want bundled into one price instead (while the end user would likely become oblivious to where the money goes and wouldn't complain to congress). Paying costs for employees, equipment, materials, etc. goes directly to providing you these services. Paying the taxes/fees/assessments to fund some politicians pet projects with some minimal relationship if anything to the service you are actually receiving is something you should be aware of, and hopefully will want to protest, to the government.
In the one-fee world, you'd rather have the price of service stay flat or rise as government increases all these costs on the business behind the scenes. I can agree readily that the ISPs have a responsiblity to make sure the end use consumer understands what they're really going to wind up paying in total, but don't think that hiding these costs is the way to do it. | |
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justin
Australian
join:1999-05-28
Brooklyn, NY | Re: Don't want to know? blah we'll have to agree to disagree.
I don't care that they are making an issue out of it, I care that they advertise a low price then lard on extras BELOW THE LINE. It is just dishonest. thats all. | |
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ATTek
Got Sand?
Premium
join:2000-12-13
Pinon Hills, CA
| Re: Don't want to know? Wow....I'm gonna agree with Justin here (I should probably take a screen shot, as this is rare ) If they want to charge $20 for the DSL and there's going to be $6 in whatever fees, then they need to advertise it as $26. That what you're sayin' there, Mate?
--
What does THIS button do..... | |
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bent
not broken
Premium
join:2004-10-04
Loveland, CO
clubs:
·Comcast Formerly ..
| Re: Don't want to know? I think the issue is not the billing, but the sales and marketing.
I used to sell for a very large broadband company that got bought out by an even larger broadband company. We sold IP telephony, as well as data. Many of the less honest sales reps that I worked with would sell the phone service at the line price, omiting all the fees and taxes to make the product more competitive. "Oh, you're paying Qwest $26 for your basic line? We'll give it to you for $14!." This is the same mentality that is in the data market. I don't really care about the taxes and fees. Just let me know about them before hand, so I can make a valid comparison. | |
| | | moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| Problem is (and it was reported here before) that an ISP will tell you your connection is $39.95/month. Your email, webspace and newsgroup access is all free. So if there is a problem with ANY of those services, you don't get any credit because those are "free" services that everyone knows is paid for with your monthly fee. | |
| |
marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| Well, that's my point.
You can directly affect franchise fees, pass through fees, and access support fees.
These are set by your local government.
Just like a cable modem rental, you can get these removed from your bill. If those fees are not even reflected on your bill, then you have no idea how much of your money is going straight into the coffers of your local government.
--
ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet
telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu
Member: American Association of Geographers, American Geophysical Union, American Water Resources Association | |
| |
marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| Well, as a case in point.
If the cable provider here charges $40 for expanded basic...
In Iowa City, the actual cost will be $44.55. In North Liberty it will be $44.00. In Coralville it will be $42.00. In West Branch it will be $41.20. In unincorpated land it will be $42.80. In Oxford, Shueyville, Swisher, Solon, and Tiffin it will range from $40.80 to $44.00 as well.
And all of those places are within 20 miles of each other and covered by two newspapers and one set of local affiliates.
How do you advertise for that?
--
ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet
telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu
Member: American Association of Geographers, American Geophysical Union, American Water Resources Association | |
| | | averagedude
join:2002-01-30
Mesa, AZ
·Cox HSI
| Re: Don't want to know? I think the greatest thing that ever happened to stop regional pricing has been the internet. A paper clip in Florida should cost the same as one in California. There simply is no justification in price gouging. In this case there is no excuse why an internet bill in Florida should be dramatically different that one in California.
If the company that is offering "whatever" is National business, then the company should be able to deliver the product for that price nationally.
As Justin said earlier:
"I think I mean this: if you agree to pay 39.95 and that is your bill, who the hell cares what it included!? that is THEIR problem. By putting extra fees and what not below the line they are making it our problem."
The below the line items should be factored in to the National billing. Yes, some markets will make slightly less due to uneven taxing, but that goes for every business out there! Like a person said previously - (paraphrased sorry) I don't want a break down from McDonald's or a gas station.
IMO the taxes should be shown, but they all should add up to the advertised price. Below the line pricing is bait and switch. | |
| | mdurkin
join:1999-08-11
San Bruno, CA
| USF The best hope ISPs have against USF is itemizing it and getting their end users upset with their congresscritters about it. ISPs don't like it any more than end users do. It's a percentage fee assessed on the underlying telecom revenue (wholesale circuit costs), administered by the FCC, that goes straight to the fund, not retained by ISPs, and it's still rising.
Hiding USF in one total service charge would make it politically easier for USF to go up, which no matter how you slice it is going to lead to higher end user rates. Sure USF and other charges shouldn't be buried in the fine print, you *should* know your total cost of service before ordering, but a single charge will work against end users in the end. BBR has also done a disservice to ISPs in the past by repeatedly claiming USF is a fixed fee to the ISP regardless of speed when it's a percentage of telecom revenue and faster DSL circuits tend to cost more from the same wholesale circuit provider; it's not fixed, and it's not based on one per phone line... it's %age based and just went up again. | |
| |
FTCXtreme
join:2005-03-14
New Braintree, MA
| Re: USF Exactly what I thought, $5 is about the most in USF you'll probably get or see, $5 Is not much considering what you get, Its the the companies fault for the fees, Its the FCC complain to them. If you dont like it get dial up. Quit b1tching, Atleast you can get broadband, I wouldn't mind spending $5 at most in taxes for fast service.  | |
| 
Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs:
| I agree It's not even paying most of the fees, it's the deceptive practice of not including the fees in the price that annoys me. Can I start offering a service with a 1 year contract for $10 a month then put $800 a month in fine print fees in? Somehow I don't think I'd get away with it. | |
| jimbo2150
join:2004-05-10
Youngstown, OH | Darn it... What ever happened to the governments plans to bring broadband to all of america and also push for next-gen?
Seems like the government just makes everything harder to do.
--
- "Techie" Jim | |
| 
Phil
Rojo Sol
Premium
join:2001-06-11
Camarillo, CA
1 edit | Silly... Nevermind. | |
| 
VoxxitDesign
join:2003-07-26
Fort Lauderdale, FL | bah How come a pizza place can divi out their price to include taxes, etc. But, a Internet service provider can't?
I don't understand that :P
Josh | |
| 
deadi
Premium
join:2001-08-26
Perry, OH
| Standardization!!! Have you ever tried to support a user halfway across a country?
Every provider does something different. They all have a different modems and connection methods. Some have full router/modem combos, others are plain-jane modems, but most of all the halfbreed router/modems(or whatever)! They stink! I am referring to the ones that have "partial nat capabilities" with built-in PPOE.
Might I add one brand will give you a model number on the bottom but will not tell you which revision. The revisions operate and function totally different.
--
ERROR:Bad Command Or File Name, Go Stand In Corner. | |
| | 
diehardspeed
Premium
join:2003-05-14
Salt Lake City, UT
| Re: Standardization!!! Then there is always the "No Cable TV Fee" +$10 oh but you have your own modem -$3 rent fee, but you still get taxed to death on everything! +$10~$15
Oh ya and did they mention that you can add "basic" cable to your account for only $12/mo more!
Wait did i hear right? I pay +$2 more a month to get "basic" cable!!!!!! ($12 - $10 No more "No Cable TV Fee" = $2 correct?)
Well yes but then your also taxed another +$10~$15
it's insane all the hidden charges and other BS they make people put up with, it's even worse if you have no choice but to put up with it unless you want to go back to dial-up. But then you would need to get a 2nd phone line and have it taxed then your almost up to what you pay for broadband!
AHHHHHHHHHHH ok I am done! | |
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ReVeLaTeD
Premium
join:2001-11-10
San Diego, CA
| Re: Standardization!!! The only extra fee I don't like is the so-called "Franchise" Fee. It's illogical. They're not the Franchise Tax Board, therefore I can see no reason to pay this charge, and it's the highest fee on the bill.
The only inclusion fee I don't like is the $40 for so-called "Expanded Basic" tier. The problem with this tier is the fact that all of the shows on the regular Basic tier suck. If I want to be entertained, I have to have the "Expanded Basic" tier. Yet, I can't obliterate the regular Basic tier, I have to pay $13 to keep the crappy channels. If I want to use DVR, I have to pay an extra $7 minimum for a "Digital gateway", $10 for the DVR box itself. Yet they can send me a $100 modem for free and discount me $15 on my internet? I wish it had more balance. I would gladly pay $40 for my internet and $30 for my phone ($20 extra on each) if I could cut my cable down to no more than $30/month, which is what it should be.
When I worked at Pac Bell I would always quote the price plus tax, at least as an estimate. $5 for all of the taxes. Cox doesn't do that, for sure. | |
| barky
Premium
join:2001-03-17
San Diego, CA
|  The ISP can eat the cost
| |
| 
The Folsom
Kindly Shut Your Noise Hole.
Premium
join:2003-01-31
Yucaipa, CA
 ·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | Local Fees? I live in Desert Hot Springs(Palm Springs), Ca., and this locality "Local Taxes" us on just about everything. Not much can be done about this, but I like number nine...
Great feature! 
--
Who is "Roger" and why is everyone calling him on the radio?
»www.folsomtech.com | |
| 
maximus_808
Proud Veteran
Premium
join:2001-08-27
Green Cove Springs, FL
clubs: | One of the biggest offenders .... Of all the ISP's i have been with Speakeasy was the worst for doing just this. This was one of the major reasons for leaving them when i moved.
--
Opera 8.0 beta1..You don't see many globe-humping-foxes in Opera either. | |
| apilosov
join:2002-12-27
Forest Hills, NY
| Complain to your legislators Fact of the matter is, the companies have no real discretion in this. Fees vary from state to state and from town to town, and if you insist on the same advertised amount in every state, that means the provider would have to absorb the taxed imposed by highest-taxing localities. That is hardly fair. (Yet this is what customers demand, and that is what we offer. We charge 50$/month flat no matter where the service is provided. Yes, that means we make quite a bit less on our NYC customers).
At one point, we wanted to pass through the taxes we pay to our customers. You can see details of that offer (no longer available) at www.pilosoft.com/newoffer.html
It didn't get much response. Even though I still think that forcing carriers to absorb fees is unfair, this is what we will continue doing... | |
| 
rwong48
join:2002-11-10
San Jose, CA
clubs: | comcast i have comcast, and all they charge you is the service, nothing extra. simply $19.99, $29.95, $42.95, $56.95, or whatever.. | |
| | jdir
join:2001-05-04
Santa Clara, CA | Re: comcast yeah - comcast just charge a whopping $56 a month - Meanwhile DSL can be had for $19.95 from SBC | |
|
snowpuffy
@speakeasy.n
| There is a way to stop these charges YES, there is a way this can all be stopped. The FCC has been mumbling for years about new regulations to:
(1) not allow telecommunications companies to make charges look like government taxes... when they are NOT
(2) not allow companies to bill you for a USF charge... that is actually far higher than the real USF rate
It's up to the FCC or your state to clamp down on this. I can only guess the telco lobbyist are doing a good job are making sure this doesn't happen | |
| 
i1me2ao
Premium
join:2001-03-03
TEXAS | called sbc on different occasion trying to get somebody to explain fees. for example number portability etc. none would answer me..
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»www.rant-rave.com/ | |
| | averagedude
join:2002-01-30
Mesa, AZ | Re: called sbc I called Cingular once to ask about all the fees. There reply was "I can not comment on those, they are government required", and that was the end of the conversation. | |
| Talis
join:2001-06-21
Houston, TX
| Problem with regulation Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the bells started doing this as a result of regulation. They were not free to raise rates without PUC meetings / approvals, etc. To get around that they started inventing odd little cost recovery fees they could tack on to the bill AFTER the rated service. Regulatory Cost Recovery? Please, isn't that part of the cost of doing business? It was a sleazy tactic when they started it and it still is. | |
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