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Comments on news posted 2010-06-25 10:35:56: Driven by AT&T's recent decision to impose caps from 200 MB to 2 GB and monthly overages up to $15, CNET's running an article that claims that those upset by this new shift toward high overages shouldn't be. ..

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Z80A
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join:2009-11-23

Z80A to juilinsandar

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to juilinsandar

Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

And if enough people do just that, they will run back to the old model.
talz13
join:2006-03-15
Avon, OH

talz13 to TamaraB

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to TamaraB

Re: Are there any carriers left

At least Sprint and T-Mobile, at the moment.

TheBionic
Funkier than a mohair disco ball.
Premium Member
join:2009-07-06
united state

TheBionic

Premium Member

I think I'm going to move to Sprint, but I haven't decided yet. I have a family plan from AT&T now, 4 phones, only one of which has the $30 a month data plan. I looked into Sprint, and all 4 phones could have unlimited data for exactly what AT&T charges now. The only problem is coverage: if you want to see Sprint's coverage in my area, just look at a map of major highways, the coverage follows them exactly and doesn't go much further. All the same, AT&T's practices and bs like in the article above makes me want to switch...

Decisions, decisions.
banner
Premium Member
join:2003-11-07
Long Beach, CA

banner

Premium Member

Racist -

With this flat-rate pricing approach, for example, almost one in five African Americans would still lack home broadband connectivity in 2020. A nearly comparable share of Hispanics and lower-income white Americans also would remain offline. In the face of rising bandwidth demand and the rising cost to accommodate it, the flat-fee pricing approach will perpetuate digital divides based on income, race, and ethnicity.
The insinuation that certain ethnic groups use less bandwidth and would benefit signing up for lower-tier caps is racist.

TamaraB
Question The Current Paradigm
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TamaraB to talz13

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Re: Are there any carriers left

said by talz13:

At least Sprint and T-Mobile, at the moment.
Hmmmmm Nexus one works on T-Mo! My AT&T/iPhone contract is up in August. With AT&T's new caps, and poor to fair service, it's time to lose AppleWare! Too bad, I love the phone, but the Nexus looks comparable.

Their 3g speed is crap, and they want to charge more? Bye Bye!!

Bob

fatmanskinny
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Wandering

fatmanskinny

Premium Member

I'm a minority. Show me the money!

I haven't received any "aid" yet. Lol! The only ones being aided by AT&T overcharging for bandwidth are the fat cat executives.
nutcr0cker
join:2003-04-02
Chandler, AZ

nutcr0cker

Member

Isn't this similar to the baloney from clinton and Reagan

Isn't this similar to the baloney we heard from Clinton and Reagan. Reagan tax cut for the rich will bring magical prosperity to America. Clinton: well export all the jobs and it will create more jobs. needless to say none of it has worked thus far.

Duramax08
To The Moon
Premium Member
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX

Duramax08

Premium Member

I've been on the dsl "waiting" list for ages

Cans I has dsl nao????
alfnoid
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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

said by juilinsandar:

said by hawgcaller:

No one is forcing you to pay for service. If you don't like the rates AT&T charges then don't use AT&T or don't use data services. There are other options.
True. I'll be showing my displeasure with AT&T's new pricing structure by leaving.
Right behind you...as soon as my contract is up or the break even point between the ETF and monthly savings is reached.

woody7
Premium Member
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

woody7 to Z80A

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Re: hmmm,

I stand corrected

del ftl
@comcast.net

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Anon

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Re: Are there any carriers left

Tmobile has coverage in your city, even 3G coverage.

juilinsandar
Texas Gooner
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join:2000-07-17
San Benito, TX

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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

My contract expires in March so I'll leave by then, if not before.
alfnoid
MVM
join:2002-02-18

alfnoid

MVM

Doing a real quick calculation...
I could leave with about three months left, take my current phone to Tmo, get one of their Even More Plus (no contract, no subsidies) plans, keep current level of services and do a little better than breaking even.

Of course this means paying full price for a new phone if I want one or just signing a new contract later, but I would be free of contracts and able to do whatever I want at that point.

linicx
Caveat Emptor
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join:2002-12-03
United State

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Re: Racist -

I think racists is a bit strong. .

I don't think AT&T cares whether a client is poor or not. It is a greedy company and it has been so since its inception. When we talk about poor families, income dictates who has broadband connectivity. The first obstacle is to have something to connect with - everything else is secondary. Not everyone has a computer or access to broadband; not everyone wants or needs it. If a person with a severely limited income must choose between phone, cable or internet, the phone will be the first choice.
banner
Premium Member
join:2003-11-07
Long Beach, CA

banner

Premium Member

said by linicx:

I think racists is a bit strong. .

I don't think AT&T cares whether a client is poor or not. It is a greedy company and it has been so since its inception. When we talk about poor families, income dictates who has broadband connectivity. The first obstacle is to have something to connect with - everything else is secondary. Not everyone has a computer or access to broadband; not everyone wants or needs it. If a person with a severely limited income must choose between phone, cable or internet, the phone will be the first choice.
I was referring to the study's author as racist. He implies that certain ethnic groups use less bandwidth than other groups and provides no evidence for this. His assumption is based on his own prejudice.

Z80A
Premium Member
join:2009-11-23

Z80A to juilinsandar

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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

If you already have an unlimited plan, you are grandfathered in.

linicx
Caveat Emptor
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United State

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Re: Racist -

Can you point me to the article? Thanks.

TamaraB
Question The Current Paradigm
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to del ftl

Re: Are there any carriers left

Yes! Not only that, but unlimited voice, text, and data is cheaper at T-Mo's $79.00/Mo than AT&T's $59.00 for 900 Minutes +rollover (which I use), $30.00 for unlimited data and $5.00 for 200 texts. In the end I pay $114.00/Mo for CRAP! With the caps in place, the price will certainly go UP! Screw them!!

It's T-Mo with the Nexus One in august!

Oh! And tethering is STANDARD on the Nexus one (as is Flash and an UNLOCKED phone) and is only available on AT&T for an additional $30.00/Mo NO FLASH though and phone remains locked!

I wonder how many folks will do the same?

Bob
banner
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join:2003-11-07
Long Beach, CA

banner to linicx

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to linicx

Re: Racist -

said by linicx:

Can you point me to the article? Thanks.
Sure.
»news.cnet.com/8301-1035_ ··· 1_3-0-20

GNH
I know my limitations.
Premium Member
join:1999-12-20
Canyon Lake, TX

GNH

Premium Member

Nothing new under the sun...

... typical socialistic, entitlement oriented mentality.

Enjoy!

Michael C
join:2009-06-26
Cedar Park, TX

Michael C

Member

I do agree with one part of his article...

"Increasingly, job openings are posted only online, and the ability to work productively in offices and factories dense with Internet and information technologies, is virtually a necessity for those intent on improving their economic position.
Beyond that, access to information on educational opportunities, political activities, health care, and even many government services increasingly depends on broadband access."

Hmmm....sounds like a utility necessary for the public good.

Common Carrier anyone?!?
alfnoid
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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

said by Z80A:

If you already have an unlimited plan, you are grandfathered in.
I do and am, but am also paying $50 each month more than I need to be for the same services (minus rollover mins of which I have over 3000 so what good are they? they will never get used).
So no point in being grandfathered when it cost me more than I need to pay right?

StevenB
Premium Member
join:2000-10-27
New York, NY

StevenB

Premium Member

Wow

I'd love to see the back-peddling from this.

Z80A
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join:2009-11-23

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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

Because the OP I was replying to was complaining about the NEW PRICE structure which doesn't affect anyone already on unlimited plan.

If you are dissatisfied with the long standing voice plan pricing, why did you sign up in the first place?
jimhsu
join:2001-06-26
Sugar Land, TX

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Re: Racist -

said by banner:

said by linicx:

If a person with a severely limited income must choose between phone, cable or internet, the phone will be the first choice.
Citation needed.

I'm not sure what you mean exactly by limited income, but "starving college and grad students" these days have little reason to get a landline as opposed to an internet connection these days. Cellphones are a bit different though.

In fact there is little reason to even GET a landline aside from business or operation contingency reasons these days, except as a carrier for ... internet.
alfnoid
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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

said by Z80A:

If you are dissatisfied with the long standing voice plan pricing, why did you sign up in the first place?
At the time it was a better value because I got a discount on service AND hardware...times change. Now even with the discount it is much more expensive than I can get elsewhere.
Now that other carriers have gotten less expensive and att keeps doing things like:
»AT&T Advisor: Overcharging People For Bandwidth Aids Minorities! [82] comments

and of course just plain costing more for the same services I don't see a need to stay.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

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Re: Racist -

said by banner:

said by linicx:

I think racists is a bit strong. .

I don't think AT&T cares whether a client is poor or not. It is a greedy company and it has been so since its inception. When we talk about poor families, income dictates who has broadband connectivity.
I was referring to the study's author as racist. He implies that certain ethnic groups use less bandwidth than other groups and provides no evidence for this. His assumption is based on his own prejudice.
Bzzzt!

Did you actually read the article or his report?

There is no such statement on the part of the author, nor the ability to infer it, though he's at best naive for trying to play the "digital divide" card for a business case.

There is a two-part argument made in the article.

1) "Flat rate", i.e. "Unlimited" pricing, combined with increasingly higher average usage levels, will translate into a higher minimum charge for access, thus pricing out some of the poor.

2) Conversely, usage-based pricing, which allows the user the control his costs through conservation, means a lower entry-level price for access and the opportunity to keep the total bill low.

In his report, Shapiro DOES cite the data that accounts for "minority" and lower-class / inner-city subscription rates and/or use of broadband, not measured in GBs. It isn't "based on his own prejudice". Why would you be so quick to assume?

»www.gcbpp.org/files/Acad ··· sett.pdf

»www.jointcenter.org/publ ··· RT_2.pdf

I think the discussion should omit and focus only on class, but that wouldn't serve the usual suspects and race-baiters.

There is a case to be made for lower-cost, entry-level, metered access. Unfortunately, it seems anyone who suggests it is drowned out by the howls of the loud majority, who doesn't care to look at the detail.

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

It has been comical to be treated like we are

idiots....how many times have we been lied and told that by doing something we don't want to do (i.e. paying more or giving up something) that it makes our experience better per the company.

Huh? I mean, that doesn't even make sense and they know it....yet they state things of that nature over and over again

It annoys the hell out of me and should anger others

Z80A
Premium Member
join:2009-11-23

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Re: It's called the free market - you don't have to buy it

Then it has nothing to do with AT&T's new data (bandwidth) plan.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
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Tulsa, OK
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Re: So let me get this straight

said by MOWAA:

Guess I don't understand

Are they essentially saying that all people are entitled to Broadband?
No. They are saying all people are equally entitled to being ripped off!
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