a333A hot cup of integrals please join:2007-06-12 Rego Park, NY 1 edit |
a333
Member
2009-Jun-26 4:40 pm
Hardly surprising....... considering that probably 65% or more of the general populace has no CLUE as to what the heck a GB is, how do you expect them to understand that using their 3G aircards outside the US costs extra? I personally know several people who were surprised to learn that voice roaming costs extra when you go international... That, coupled with a complete lack of technical interest or even desire to learn, is what has these people rushing to the nearest media outlet faster than you can say "roaming"..... I mean, yes, it would TEND to help if wireless companies were a tad more helpful when it came to notifications, i.e. the walled garden system, but as they say... you can't fix stupid.
Peace, a333 |
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Maccawolf Premium Member join:2001-02-20 Hillsdale, NJ
2 recommendations |
Myth BUSTEDI have no sympathy for him. He should READ the TOC just like everyone else. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want to live in a nanny state where THEY look after me to keep me from doing something STUPID. |
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Matt3All noise, no signal. Premium Member join:2003-07-20 Jamestown, NC
1 recommendation |
Matt3
Premium Member
2009-Jun-26 4:44 pm
This Day and AgeI still don't understand why it takes AT&T DAYS to provide a data usage total. In this day and age, you would think they could track it simply. It just goes to show what a dinosaur AT&T and their systems really are. |
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3g service is a con gameyet another reason I wont be getting a 3g mobile broadband service anytime soon stupid caps. |
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banditws6Shrinking Time and Distance Premium Member join:2001-08-18 Frisco, TX |
to a333
Re: Hardly surprising...No, you can't fix stupid, and boy have we got a lot of stupid.
At the same time, 3G aircards and other means of getting onto wireless data networks are becoming more and more mainstream, especially with the subsidized netbooks being bundled with them as the article mentions. We're going to be seeing more and more non-tech savvy people getting on board with these devices and not understanding all of the minutiae.
It is therefore my belief that the wireless companies need to do a better job of warning users when bandwidth consumption strays into the "ludicrously expensive" category. And I mean really warning people, like by calling the number associated with the account holder, not just sending a fire-and-forget SMS that isn't guaranteed to be received by the device in question and saying "Due diligence done!" Or, provide the customer with an option to have their service suspended when a particular amount of bandwidth has been consumed, just in case.
But then the wireless companies couldn't profit from your stupidity, ignorance, or honest mistakes...could they. |
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1 edit
1 recommendation |
to Maccawolf
Re: Myth BUSTEDIf you examine his Twitter feed you see that ATT claims 9GB of use, he is very aware of what the rates/Data use is. This case happens to involve ATT possibly being wrong about the data usage total, not him not knowing better. Wouldn't be the first time a carrier was wrong about data usage. |
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jjeffeoryjjeffeory join:2002-12-04 Bloomington, IN
2 recommendations |
to Maccawolf
said by Maccawolf:I have no sympathy for him. He should READ the TOC just like everyone else. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want to live in a nanny state where THEY look after me to keep me from doing something STUPID. Too late! |
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morboComplete Your Transaction join:2002-01-22 00000
1 recommendation |
to Matt3
Re: This Day and Agethey can, they just don't want to.
why? they make more money this way. they've run the numbers with providing instant feedback or at least, daily feedback on usage to users vs. dealing with negative PR from these types of stories. you can tell the choice they have made. |
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funchordsHello MVM join:2001-03-11 Yarmouth Port, MA 1 edit
3 recommendations |
to Maccawolf
Re: Myth BUSTEDsaid by Maccawolf:I have no sympathy for him. That says volumes about you and nothing about him. said by Maccawolf:He should READ the TOC just like everyone else. My guess is that he read the TOC just like everyone else, which is to say that he either didn't read it or understand it because it was too long or too dense. Those things aren't meant for consumers to read, they're meant to protect the carrier from claims. said by Maccawolf:I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want to live in a nanny state where THEY look after me to keep me from doing something STUPID. Be sure to wear your seat belt. Surprise charges on telecom bills is very similar to the surprises folks would see on consumer loans. This is exactly the reason why loan applications have that big disclosure box giving out the key rates and fees in easy-to-read font. It's a useful tool. These laws aren't there to protect you from yourself, they're there to protect you from the acts of others that just take advantage of the fact that you're a human being minding his own business. |
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People don't know what a GB is...Hell, many folks don't even realize there's a difference between wifi and 2/3/4G. All they know is that when they turn their computer on, it wirelessly connects to something or other.....
I know plenty of non-techies who are ordinary, intelligent everyday citizens, and they're used to sitting at their computer for minutes/hours/etc and sipping all they can without worry of an obscene overage bill.
I'm not part of the crowd that screams "READ THE TOS".....though I do agree that this should be done. This is quite obvious a predatory tactic though and it will come to a head at some point. |
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drewRadiant Premium Member join:2002-07-10 Port Orchard, WA |
drew to Matt3
Premium Member
2009-Jun-26 5:08 pm
to Matt3
Re: This Day and AgeI only hope that Adam is a big enough celeb that can really do something to fight them on this and maybe get something done about it for good.
Godspeed Mr. Savage |
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1 recommendation |
to Maccawolf
Re: Myth BUSTEDsaid by Maccawolf: I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want to live in a nanny state where THEY look after me to keep me from doing something STUPID. The irony of this of course is that you live in NJ. |
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FFH5 Premium Member join:2002-03-03 Tavistock NJ 2 edits |
FFH5 to morbo
Premium Member
2009-Jun-26 5:13 pm
to morbo
Re: This Day and Agesaid by morbo:they can, they just don't want to. why? they make more money this way. they've run the numbers with providing instant feedback or at least, daily feedback on usage to users vs. dealing with negative PR from these types of stories. you can tell the choice they have made. My Sprint account keeps up to date within about a 15 min window. I can check minutes used; data used; # text msgs; etc. If Sprint, the poster child for poor customer svc can do this so easily, so should AT&T.
Used about 49 MB of data in 3 weeks. A weakly enforced 5GB/month is the cap.
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funchordsHello MVM join:2001-03-11 Yarmouth Port, MA |
to expert007
Re: People don't know what a GB is...said by expert007:This is quite obvious a predatory tactic though and it will come to a head at some point. Just to illustrate this further, this page here is 56 KB -- and at AT&T's roaming rates in Canada ( which are $0.015 per KB) means that every time your computer loads the page costs about a dollar (or just under a dollar). |
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FFH5 Premium Member join:2002-03-03 Tavistock NJ 4 edits |
FFH5
Premium Member
2009-Jun-26 5:23 pm
said by funchords:said by expert007:This is quite obvious a predatory tactic though and it will come to a head at some point. Just to illustrate this further, this page here is 56 KB -- and at AT&T's roaming rates in Canada ( which are $0.015 per KB) means that every time your computer loads the page costs about a dollar (or just under a dollar). $.84 Good incentive to use text based web sites designed for mobile use. Like this: » tkjunkmail.googlepages.c ··· ilelinksBesides, the text based web pages show the info you need much faster and are much easier to read on those smartphone screens. ""http: //text.dslreports.com/"" 4.5 KB approx $.07 |
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to canesfan2001
Re: Myth BUSTEDsaid by canesfan2001:If you examine his Twitter feed you see that ATT claims 9GB of use, he is very aware of what the rates/Data use is. This case happens to involve ATT possibly being wrong about the data usage total, not him not knowing better. Wouldn't be the first time a carrier was wrong about data usage. Doen't The Iphone do a lot of background data use? Did thing it was on the rogers network and it endless tried to download some software over and over again? |
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MrMasterRum Connoisseur Premium Member join:2000-12-16 St Thomas, VI |
to FFH5
Re: People don't know what a GB is...said by FFH5:said by funchords:said by expert007:This is quite obvious a predatory tactic though and it will come to a head at some point. Just to illustrate this further, this page here is 56 KB -- and at AT&T's roaming rates in Canada ( which are $0.015 per KB) means that every time your computer loads the page costs about a dollar (or just under a dollar). $.84 Good incentive to use text based web sites designed for mobile use. Like this: » tkjunkmail.googlepages.c ··· ilelinks» /4.5 KB approx $.07 not really. It goes to show you how much a ripoff data roaming rates are. |
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Matt3All noise, no signal. Premium Member join:2003-07-20 Jamestown, NC |
Matt3 to FFH5
Premium Member
2009-Jun-26 5:33 pm
to FFH5
Re: This Day and AgeNot only does it not update frequently, I've called in before and they couldn't even tell me what the data usage was FOR. They bury their data usage under a subpage -- all they show on the main account management page is txt msgs under the data tab.
It looks like my usage has been updated as of 2AM this morning, but nothing since. |
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to morbo
said by morbo:they can, they just don't want to. why? they make more money this way. they've run the numbers with providing instant feedback or at least, daily feedback on usage to users vs. dealing with negative PR from these types of stories. you can tell the choice they have made. No they can't because when you "roam" AT&T has to wait for the other provider to bill AT&T with the data usage so therefore usage is lagged. No matter what ANY provider says (pointing at LiamJunket) they cannot provide instant up to date information with data that comes from different networks. In order for "instant feedback" to work, the providers would actually have to *work* with each other instead of bickering, complaining, and lying like little children. And you will always have that one oddball provider out in the middle of nowhere that no major carrier cares enough to invite into their "roaming billing system". |
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k1ll3rdr4g0n |
to funchords
Re: People don't know what a GB is...said by funchords:said by expert007:This is quite obvious a predatory tactic though and it will come to a head at some point. Just to illustrate this further, this page here is 56 KB -- and at AT&T's roaming rates in Canada ( which are $0.015 per KB) means that every time your computer loads the page costs about a dollar (or just under a dollar). What I don't get is how providers can charge for things like advertisements when I don't want them loaded. Sure, I can install extensions to block ads and such, but do you think the netbooks has them installed by default? Defiantly not. |
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FFH5 Premium Member join:2002-03-03 Tavistock NJ 1 edit |
to k1ll3rdr4g0n
Re: This Day and Agesaid by k1ll3rdr4g0n:No matter what ANY provider says (pointing at LiamJunket) they cannot provide instant up to date information with data that comes from different networks. If you are going to a different country, 1st rule, unless you are filthy rich, is don't use wireless cell data. Use WiFi only. My smartphone is set to REFUSE data roaming(that is the default) off of Sprint's network. I can't do it by accident. If I turn it on, then I accepted the costs involved. |
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1 edit |
to canesfan2001
Re: Myth BUSTEDI think his course of action now would be to look at the Canadian networked he tapped into. I haven't roamed yet so I don't know what the data would look like. Thats what my 3G details look like from logging into my account. They show you each time you log on and the amount of data consumed. 9GB? Was he doing a remote backup? Uploading footage back to his home office? Was he the only person using the PC? Why did he bring his 3G card in the first place? I'm never bringing my card out side of the states. |
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ee4 @comcast.net |
to Maccawolf
talk about stupid. try reading and understanding what you are reading. adam wants to make sure att can add right. |
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morboComplete Your Transaction join:2002-01-22 00000 |
to k1ll3rdr4g0n
Re: This Day and AgeAT&T and other providers have zero incentive to provide this near-real time data and to work together to accomplish it.
So, there are a few options here. All rely upon the goodness of AT&T's (and others') heart to care for the consumer except one: mandate it.
Problem solved. |
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to drew
He'll get a call and refund within 24 hours I bet, speaking to the power of the Tweet (and blogs). But I dunno if they'll improve this system any. |
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CorydonCultivant son jardin Premium Member join:2008-02-18 Denver, CO |
to a333
Re: Hardly surprising...Part of the problem may be a lack of understanding when it comes to what kind of roaming we're talking about.
Lots (all?) of mobile phone companies make a big deal of offering free roaming (for voice within the US). How many sales pitches come with those caveats?
The customer hears free roaming and figures he doesn't have to worry about traveling. |
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Matt3All noise, no signal. Premium Member join:2003-07-20 Jamestown, NC |
to k1ll3rdr4g0n
Re: This Day and Agesaid by k1ll3rdr4g0n:said by morbo:they can, they just don't want to. why? they make more money this way. they've run the numbers with providing instant feedback or at least, daily feedback on usage to users vs. dealing with negative PR from these types of stories. you can tell the choice they have made. No they can't because when you "roam" AT&T has to wait for the other provider to bill AT&T with the data usage so therefore usage is lagged. No matter what ANY provider says (pointing at LiamJunket) they cannot provide instant up to date information with data that comes from different networks. In order for "instant feedback" to work, the providers would actually have to *work* with each other instead of bickering, complaining, and lying like little children. And you will always have that one oddball provider out in the middle of nowhere that no major carrier cares enough to invite into their "roaming billing system". Why can't they even provide up-to-date information for domestic usage on their OWN network? |
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Matt3 |
to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:He'll get a call and refund within 24 hours I bet, speaking to the power of the Tweet (and blogs). But I dunno if they'll improve this system any. I completely agree. The squeaky wheel and all that ... |
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FFH5 Premium Member join:2002-03-03 Tavistock NJ |
to funchords
Re: People don't know what a GB is...said by funchords: AT&T's roaming rates in Canada ( which are $0.015 per KB) means that every time your computer loads the page costs about a dollar (or just under a dollar). » www.nextel.com/assets/pd ··· lyer.pdfSprint's rates for Canada are: Canada $0.002/KB More than 7x cheaper than AT&T |
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1 recommendation |
to Matt3
Re: This Day and AgeAT&T just e-mailed me to note they're already working with him.
I plan to inquire why they can't improve the high bill notification system for a future bit. |
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