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Comments on news posted 2006-09-15 14:28:28: User Jerm writes in: "In case you didn't get the memo, since 1985 you have been able to opt out of renting your telephone. However 750,000 phone leases are still in effect today. ..

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Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Party Line

Supposedly my uncle had a party line up until the time he died in 2002. I learned of this yesterday after his wife died from my mom. So I guess the old fashioned shit is still pushed on people. And here is the kicker, it was only 4 dollars less per month. Cheaper for the phone company to just offer that.

Talk about messed up!

-Tzale

LeftOfSanity
People Suck.
join:2005-11-06
Dover, DE

LeftOfSanity

Member

Re: Party Line

"I learned of this yesterday after his wife died from my mom."

Wow, you just confessed that your mom killed her.

Cause of Death: A Mom
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678 to Tzale

Member

to Tzale
is that only in small towns and in bigger ones they just stop leting people use it?

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: Party Line

said by Joe12345678:

is that only in small towns and in bigger ones they just stop leting people use it?
typical central Jersey suburb.
xsiddalx
join:2005-03-11
Chicago, IL

xsiddalx to Tzale

Member

to Tzale
Just spoke with my great uncle (82 years old) who was told
by Cingular that he needed a new cell phone (he was having
difficulties figuring out why the phone wasn't working).

-- He needed to plug it in --

Nevertheless, he is in a contract for x minutes that amounts
to over 40 cent a minute. Did Cingular, or would any wireless carrier, advise him to get a prepaid cell?

The marketplace in action....

Of course he can't cancel...it would cost a small fortune to sue the cell phone company to do so.

On the other hand, how many people are renting their "Cable Boxes". Equally humorous and likely much larger than the fools that rent their telephones.

Are you one of them?

Talk about messed up!


PhoenixAZ
Get A Mac
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Phoenix, AZ

PhoenixAZ

Premium Member

Re: Party Line

said by xsiddalx:

Just spoke with my great uncle (82 years old) who was told
by Cingular that he needed a new cell phone (he was having
difficulties figuring out why the phone wasn't working).

-- He needed to plug it in --

Nevertheless, he is in a contract for x minutes that amounts
to over 40 cent a minute. Did Cingular, or would any wireless carrier, advise him to get a prepaid cell?

The marketplace in action....

Of course he can't cancel...it would cost a small fortune to sue the cell phone company to do so.

On the other hand, how many people are renting their "Cable Boxes". Equally humorous and likely much larger than the fools that rent their telephones.

Are you one of them?

Talk about messed up!


Unfortunately renting a cable box is the only way to obtain digital cable with interactive features for most.
amungus
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
America

amungus

Premium Member

incredible.

I thought this was phased out entirely, a long time ago.

..goes to show how the telcos are such dinosaurs.
It's unreal that anyone is actually still paying them for this though..

Surely one could find a nice rotary phone at a yard sale, ebay, or leftover from somewhere...

..yeah, hook me up with a red rotary phone, on a separate line plase, directly connected to the President's office. We need the best technology around here, and won't settle for anything less than top of the line. .../sarcasm...
chemaupr
join:2005-06-06
Alexandria, VA

chemaupr

Member

Re: incredible.

she could have bought a new phn from walmart every month and still be better off....
8744675
join:2000-10-10
Decatur, GA

8744675 to amungus

Member

to amungus
Several years ago, my aunt had a phone put in her lake house. It was on a 10 party line, and the ringer was shared by 2 households. If it was 2 short rings, it was her call, and 1 long ring meant the call was for the other people.

phattieg
join:2001-04-29
Winter Park, FL

phattieg to amungus

Member

to amungus
said by amungus:

I thought this was phased out entirely, a long time ago.

..goes to show how the telcos are such dinosaurs.
It's unreal that anyone is actually still paying them for this though..
Sadly enough, telco's still charge for DTMF (TouchTone) capability. Even worse is they never bothered to contact the customer and tell them they value them so much, they can keep the phone, as they are no longer rented. I'm sorry, but this is the worst scenario, especially for elderly people who don't know. Mind you they should make it their business, but at the same time, so should the telco for not paying attention to this customer.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

4 edits

4 recommendations

Karl Bode

News Guy

I can already hear the conversation

Humanist (aka socialist, or dirty commie): Wow, that's kind of sleazy, taking advantage of the elderly.

Free Marketeer: It's their own fault, companies have the right to do anything they want, particularly if I'm an investor, fanboy, or employee! (mmm, granny greenbacks!)

Humanist: Shill!

Free Marketeer: Hippy!

Grethor
Today Is A Good Day To Format
join:2004-04-14
Tacoma, WA

Grethor

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by Karl Bode:

Humanist (aka socialist, or dirty commie): Wow, that's kind of sleazy, taking advantage of the elderly better than us.

Unethical Free Marketeer (Enron): It's their own fault, companies have the right to do anything they want, particularly if I'm an investor, fanboy, or employee! (mmm, granny greenbacks!)
Corrected

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 recommendation

FFH5 to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:

Humanist (aka socialist, or dirty commie): Wow, that's kind of sleazy, taking advantage of the elderly.

Free Marketeer: It's their own fault, companies have the right to do anything they want, particularly if I'm an investor, fanboy, or employee! (mmm, granny greenbacks!)

Humanist: Shill!

Free Marketeer: Hippy!
No one forced her to keep a lease. She was given the choice of opting out in 1985(when she wasn't OLD). She chose not to. Should the company have forced her to buy a phone instead of leasing?
Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO

Skippy25

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

No but they should have stopped billing her for the phone that she has paid for several hundred times over.

It should not have been an opt out service. It should have simply ended with customers then having the option to stay in.

John Galt6
Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp

2 recommendations

John Galt6

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by Skippy25:

No but they should have stopped billing her for the phone that she has paid for several hundred times over.
I think that landlords should do the same thing...once the mortgage is paid off, the tenants should be able to live there for free.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

1 recommendation

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: I can already hear the conversation

Bravo for inaccurate comparison hyperbole.

John Galt6
Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp

1 recommendation

John Galt6

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by Karl Bode:

Bravo for inaccurate comparison hyperbole.
Hardly inaccurate...

I *REALLY* wanted to point out the Socialist "should" in the post (twice in fact) but settled for the hyperbole instead.

wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc to John Galt6

Member

to John Galt6
They do it already. Sure you have to pay your taxes and HOA fees. But you don't pay your mortgage if it is paid off.



puritan

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102 to Skippy25

Premium Member

to Skippy25
said by Skippy25:

No but they should have stopped billing her for the phone that she has paid for several hundred times over.
I'm surprised no one hasn't called in FEMA to put a stop to this injustice!

richardpor
Fur it up
join:2003-04-19
Portland, OR

1 edit

richardpor

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by pnh102:

said by Skippy25:

No but they should have stopped billing her for the phone that she has paid for several hundred times over.
I'm surprised no one hasn't called in FEMA to put a stop to this injustice!
Knowing FEMA's quick response somebody might had already call in 1995.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

1 edit

Karl Bode to FFH5

News Guy

to FFH5
How many of those 750,000 do you really believe conciously understand that they're paying insane amounts of money to lease sub-par technology?
chemaupr
join:2005-06-06
Alexandria, VA

chemaupr

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

Check out the tv adds next week... is coming... the class action sue...

Are you between 55-100 years of age? have you been leasing your phn from the telecoms? if so call INSERT FIRM NAME OF YOUR CHOICE.... you may be entitle to a refund....

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by chemaupr:

Check out the tv adds next week... is coming... the class action sue...

Are you between 55-100 years of age? have you been leasing your phn from the telecoms? if so call INSERT FIRM NAME OF YOUR CHOICE.... you may be entitle to a refund....
I don't think 55 year olds are old or dumb enough to fall for this. It's the elderly people who are 70 and up who are victim to this type of stuff.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 recommendation

FFH5 to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:

How many of those 750,000 do you really believe conciously understand that they're paying insane amounts of money to lease sub-par technology?
She had children and grand children to assist her in a better decision. I make sure my parents(in their 80's) aren't getting ripped off. It isn't the job of a business to be a welfare agency for people who make bad decisions.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

1 recommendation

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: I can already hear the conversation

quote:
It isn't the job of a business to be a welfare agency for people who make bad decisions.
But it is their job to take advantage of the elderly by over-charging them for services? I guess that's where we differ. I like justice.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 recommendation

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by Karl Bode:
quote:
It isn't the job of a business to be a welfare agency for people who make bad decisions.
I like justice.
No, I believe what you like is a paternalistic, socialist state where the government makes all the important decisions for people and protects them from themselves. A state where prices are determined by the government. A state that is anti-capitalist. A state like Cuba and now Venezuela; states that are in the economic toilet or rapidly going there.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

1 recommendation

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: I can already hear the conversation

quote:
No, I believe what you like is a paternalistic, socialist state where the government makes all the important decisions for people and protects them from themselves.
Wow. There you go with the extremes again. I'd like just a functional uncompromised regulatory authority that held corporations accountable for sleazy activity.

Going from that to Cuba is a bridge you're building in your head.

R4M0N
Brazilian Soccer Ownz Joo
join:2000-10-04
Glen Allen, VA

1 edit

3 recommendations

R4M0N

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by Karl Bode:

quote:
No, I believe what you like is a paternalistic, socialist state where the government makes all the important decisions for people and protects them from themselves.
Wow. There you go with the extremes again. I'd like just a functional uncompromised regulatory authority that held corporations accountable for sleazy activity.

Going from that to Cuba is a bridge you're building in your head.
Where does the "regulatory authority" stop then? Does it determine what "sleazy activity" is? What if you don't agree with the authority's determinations of "sleazy activity"? What if, decades from now, it decides that selling for any profit is "sleazy activity"?

I'd say you're the one not thinking far enough ahead.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: I can already hear the conversation

quote:
What if, decades from now, it decides that selling for any profit is "sleazy activity"?
Yes, clearly I'm advocating that we outlaw profit. Very observant.

R4M0N
Brazilian Soccer Ownz Joo
join:2000-10-04
Glen Allen, VA

1 edit

R4M0N

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

deleted [repost]
R4M0N

R4M0N to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:

quote:
What if, decades from now, it decides that selling for any profit is "sleazy activity"?
Yes, clearly I'm advocating that we outlaw profit. Very observant.
Right.... That's exactly what I said.

And you accused tkjunkmail of creating "bridges in his head"?

••••••

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez to R4M0N

Member

to R4M0N
said by R4M0N:
said by Karl Bode:
quote:
No, I believe what you like is a paternalistic, socialist state where the government makes all the important decisions for people and protects them from themselves.
Wow. There you go with the extremes again. I'd like just a functional uncompromised regulatory authority that held corporations accountable for sleazy activity.

Going from that to Cuba is a bridge you're building in your head.
Where does the "regulatory authority" stop then? Does it determine what "sleazy activity" is? What if you don't agree with the authority's determinations of "sleazy activity"? What if, decades from now, it decides that selling for any profit is "sleazy activity"?

I'd say you're the one not thinking far enough ahead.
WOW. Very well said.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: I can already hear the conversation

Not particularly. It regurgitates a party line on deregulation and makes a bizarre leap to suggest any reasonable regulatory authority would outlaw "making a profit".

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

KrK

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

Isn't it amazing how the leap in logic goes....

"Hmmm Telco shouldn't really be allowed to get away with this" means instantly "You COMMUNIST!!"

ROFL
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

1 recommendation

fiberguy2 to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
You don't think far enough ahead, Karl. You want to live in a utopia but it will NEVER happen.

There is NOTHING in life where it says "life will be fair"... there is nothing wrong with this at all. Some regulatory body should determine the price for everything?

Let's take you for a moment. You are obviously involved in technology to a point... you participate here. Let's say you decide that you want to consult. I, as do many people here, feel that $80 an hour for computer technical support is WAY over the top. Enough people complain to a regulatory body and the next thing you know you are being told you can only sell your service for $25.00 an hour, or even worse, minimum wage.

Competition is great! IT is was is supposed to keep prices down.. not government intervention.

The lease charge is on the phone bill. When did these people stop knowing how to read? Go back to their time, trust me, the older generation read MUCH more than todays generation does.

The only thing building in one's head is a utopian society where everything is perfect. Two questions.. 1) how much does such a perfect society cost everyone? and 2) Do you think you will ever see it? why? (because you won't - it's IMPOSSIBLE)

•••
Expand your moderator at work

Omega
Premium Member
join:2002-07-30
Golden, CO

Omega to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:
quote:
It isn't the job of a business to be a welfare agency for people who make bad decisions.
But it is their job to take advantage of the elderly by over-charging them for services? I guess that's where we differ. I like justice.
61 years of age in 1985.

Hardly elderly. (even in 1985).

She simply isn't a smart shopper. It is her fault, let her pay.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

moonpuppy (banned) to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
And sometimes it is not that easy to get rid of the phone. My mother was being charged for a rental phone and she tried for 6 months to get rid of leased phone and they kept giving her the run around. It took the threat of legal action to stop the charge.
Cod2
join:2000-07-05
Kernersville, NC

1 recommendation

Cod2 to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:

How many of those 750,000 do you really believe conciously understand that they're paying insane amounts of money to lease sub-par technology?
If they have the ability to read, then they should understand.

quote from the article:

Skalko said bills are clearly marked, and customers can quit their lease any time by returning their phones.

Strogen says she's not a big fan of her new push-button phone.

"I'd like to have my rotary back," she said. "I like that better."


Just because someone is old doesn't mean they lose the ability to make a decision nor read like the rest of society. If they do, then they souldn't be living on their own but in an assisted living facility.

Caveat emptor

Let the flames begin.

•••••

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

1 edit

djrobx to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
quote:
How many of those 750,000 do you really believe conciously understand that they're paying insane amounts of money to lease sub-par technology?
You'd be surprised. My Mom was well aware of the situation but simply hated calling the phone company. She thought she'd need to return the old phones and didn't know where they were.

I finally broke down and called in for her in 1998. They didn't care about the old phones, lol.

-- Rob

Sarah

join:2001-01-09
New York, NY

Sarah

Re: I can already hear the conversation

This happened to my grandmother, she paid thousands of dollars over the years for a rented phone. My father called to cancel her phone service after her death and they actually wanted him to send the phone back.

tsu9
join:2001-08-17
Wheeling, IL

tsu9 to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:

How many of those 750,000 do you really believe conciously understand that they're paying insane amounts of money to lease sub-par technology?
If my grandfather was like any of them left, then probably most or all of them. We discovered (back in 2002) that he had been leasing phones that he didn't even use anymore. As in, he'd replaced them with newer models.

When he passed away, AT&T wanted their two rotary phones back (presumably to fleece some more people). We could only find one in the house, and were quoted $75 as a replacement fee for one of the damned things.

Chuckles0
Premium Member
join:2006-03-04
Saint Paul, MN

Chuckles0 to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode:

How many of those 750,000 do you really believe conciously understand that they're paying insane amounts of money to lease sub-par technology?
And how many of the 750k do you think actually look at their bill?

••••••
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
Oh come on now..

Do you know how many time's i've tried to get my 72 year old grandmother to stop paying the phone company for an out-dated rate plan that owuld save her about $17 a month on her bill and she's too hard headed to make a change? Why? her answer is "I don't want to make any changes.. what I have works and I am fine with it"..

Not all old people are dumb,.. not all old people are idiots,.. and not all old people are feable.

As it was said, 20 years ago these people were not old. Stuborn? Sure.. but that's thier fault. You can't protect everyone all the time and I hardly doubt any refunds are in order here either... mandated or not.

I like the analogy of not paying rent to a landloard when the mortgage is paid for. So, I guess cable boxes should be free too? DSL technology is supposed to be paid for by now too, that should be free as well and moved into the socialist column in society as well I guess.

Some how there is this notion that there are laws on what people should be able to sell, not sell, profit from etc when it comes to this kind of thing. "They make enough money"... who decides that? Buyer beware is #1 priority. (I am generalizing, so withdrawl the claws)... SOME areas need protection like in houses and cars... but telephones? 20 years has gone by and people aren't seeing this? It's their fault. I don't want a government stepping in to protect me from being stupid.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

1 recommendation

wifi4milez

Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by fiberguy2:

Oh come on now..

Do you know how many time's i've tried to get my 72 year old grandmother to stop paying the phone company for an out-dated rate plan that owuld save her about $17 a month on her bill and she's too hard headed to make a change? Why? her answer is "I don't want to make any changes.. what I have works and I am fine with it"..
Exactly!
said by fiberguy2:

Not all old people are dumb,.. not all old people are idiots,.. and not all old people are feable.
Spot on!
said by fiberguy2:

As it was said, 20 years ago these people were not old. Stuborn? Sure.. but that's thier fault. You can't protect everyone all the time and I hardly doubt any refunds are in order here either... mandated or not.
100%
said by fiberguy2:

I like the analogy of not paying rent to a landloard when the mortgage is paid for. So, I guess cable boxes should be free too? DSL technology is supposed to be paid for by now too, that should be free as well and moved into the socialist column in society as well I guess.
Hahahaha!
said by fiberguy2:

Some how there is this notion that there are laws on what people should be able to sell, not sell, profit from etc when it comes to this kind of thing. "They make enough money"... who decides that? Buyer beware is #1 priority. (I am generalizing, so withdrawl the claws)... SOME areas need protection like in houses and cars... but telephones? 20 years has gone by and people aren't seeing this? It's their fault. I don't want a government stepping in to protect me from being stupid.
Perfectly put. And WE dont always agree on things.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned) to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:

No one forced her to keep a lease. She was given the choice of opting out in 1985(when she wasn't OLD). She chose not to. Should the company have forced her to buy a phone instead of leasing?
In 1985 she would have been 61. Maybe not old by today's standards, but in 1985 that was old. In 1985 my grandparents were 64 I was 16, they were OLD.

•••

anonpisser
@optonline.net

anonpisser to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
I would expect nothing less from the industry shill mr tkjunkmail.
This woman has a refund coming. (period)

This was CLEAR FRAUD!.

John Galt6
Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp

John Galt6

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by anonpisser :

This was CLEAR FRAUD!.
There was no fraud.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

1 recommendation

RadioDoc to Karl Bode

to Karl Bode
As the article points out, notice was sent to all such lessees in 1985 and they were given the option to quit paying 'rent' and buy their own phone (or even the one they already had) at that time.

That some people didn't exercise that option is hardly surprising. I think it's insane that anyone would pay $600 a month to lease a Cadillac, but they are out there in droves. People will pay for whatever they think has value to them. It's not your place to judge, especially in a "news" item.

•••••••••••••••••
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
im suprised she wasnt forced out sooner. doesnt it take something extra to support a rotory phone nowdays that everything is done in tones?

•••
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

moonpuppy (banned) to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
Can't tell a shill from a hippy without a scorecard.

PROGRAMS! GET YOUR BBR PROGRAMS HERE!!!!!

bmn
? ? ?

join:2001-03-15
hiatus

bmn to Karl Bode

to Karl Bode
Actually, I've boiled their positions down to the root...
said by Karl Bode:

Humanist (aka socialist, or dirty commie): Evil, greedy corporations !

Free Marketeer (Randrodes, etc.): Profit first and f*ck the people...

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: I can already hear the conversation

It's a secret, but there's a middle-ground.
bmn
? ? ?

join:2001-03-15
hiatus

bmn

Re: I can already hear the conversation

said by Karl Bode:

It's a secret, but there's a middle-ground.
Shhhh... I'm going to have to fire up the grill and buy some kegs to entertain if you keep telling people about it.
93388818 (banned)
It's cool, I'm takin it back
join:2000-03-14
Dallas, TX

1 recommendation

93388818 (banned) to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
This article and the comments here make me laugh.

My grandmother died when she was 70. She paid for one of these phones. If were alive now and had read this, she would slap all of you saying that old people needed to be protected and were taken advantage of by the phone company.

She read her bill.
She understood exactly what she was getting billed for.
She LIKED the service.
She was an adult.
She lived alone.
She made her own decisions.

Maybe Karl Bode See Profile and all the others could start the PTOPFEITASALADNTB (Protect The Old People Even If They Are Sane And Lucid A Don't Need To Be) Foundation.

FiL25
Premium Member
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD

1 edit

FiL25

Premium Member

Re: I can already hear the conversation

so basically, those in favor of the Telco's $14,000 bill advocate ripping off old people. Because that IS what happend...

In a lease, once you've gotten to the point where youve BOUGHT the damn thing it is your renting, guess what? Its yours.

Formulating an Opt Out option and snail mailing it to the ones still renting is similar to me tell you, "ok son, youve got a choice to make, your either in or out!".

Because Im damn well sure the Telco didnt mention to the customer that their phone was already paid off or GOING TO BE paid off in the near future...

That my friends is a rip off.

And Im not to fond of those defending companies that target the public with bogus ass mailings and "warnings" covered up in "YOUR EITHER IN OR OUT!".

Cause thats what it boils down to IMO. The telco ripped off the customer...

$14,000!!!

damn, all of us know that money couldve been well spent on charity, home repairs, etc....uh oh, I said Charity!
(ducks from a crazy Aryan pointin a gun lookin him)

oh, and home girl aint slapping noone unless she wants a lawsuit slapped right back at her! ha!

spg6
Grrrr
join:2001-10-31
NOT Texas!

spg6 to Karl Bode

Member

to Karl Bode
The Telco didn't rip her off. Since 1985 they were prepared to repair/replace the phone for free as their part of the lease. Is it their fault Western Electric built a superior product that didn't break?

Now we're penalizing quality? I'd love it if my phone would last that long.

nil

join:2000-11-27

1 recommendation

nil

Re: I can already hear the conversation

Pay $14K for a phone and it just might!

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

The lady is actually mad that they stopped renting it to her

As funny as this may sound, if you read the last sentence in the article the woman in question (82 years old) says,
quote:
Strogen says she's not a big fan of her new push-button phone.

"I'd like to have my rotary back," she said. "I like that better."
I guess you cant win them all!

•••••••

Railbaithome
@optonline.net

Railbaithome

Anon

Is this a real news item?

"One such renter, Ester Strogen, 82 years old,..."

E Strogen - (estrogen) hmmm, sounds fishy. Is this a real news item?

TRaymer
@mchsi.com

TRaymer

Anon

Re: Is this a real news item?

anywho says:

Residential Listings
Strogen, Esther

1101 8 St NW
Canton, OH 44703
330-456-xxxx

Truth IS stranger than fiction when it comes to names.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

What's Worse...?

Using a landline or this?

Trinijoy
Premium Member
join:2005-09-12
Brick, NJ

Trinijoy

Premium Member

What... is this...

People just can't let go....

Why don't they just order a rotary phone from ebay????

Then people comlplain aout high phone bills, your kidding me right.
PHOENIXZERO
join:2006-07-11
Beaverton, MI

1 edit

PHOENIXZERO

Member

Sounds like my grandmother...

My grandparents bought a rotary phone through Michigan Bell back in the 70s I think. Roughly 30 years later and my grandmother still (grandfather died 14 years ago) uses it, though at least she hasn't paid for it for several years now. I can't convince her that she needs a new phone despite the fact that it's a static mess much of the time, she likes her volume control and not being able to understand people on the other end half the time. Plus there's the annoyance of menus where you have to press buttons. She can't hear it ring most the time either since she doesn't like wearing her hearing aid. >_

She had a cordless phone 12 or so years ago and it was crap so she never really used it, my uncle has a cordless phone that's at least six years old and that's not so great either, better than my grandmother's old one. But she doesn't seem to understand they've improved a lot more since then, at the very least have a volume setting, are hearing aid compatible and more importantly, you can carry it with you around the house. But many old people just hate change....

Jeff
Connoisseur of leisurely things
Premium Member
join:2002-12-24
GMT -5

Jeff

Premium Member

Some people don't know any better

Reminds me of the time that my recently-deceased grandfather paid some jerkoff $150 to plow our driveway after about 8" of fallen snow. I was late in getting back home to plow it myself because of the same snow. So, my grandfather got taken advantage of by some schmuck because my grandfather thought $150 was the "going rate" to plow 175 feet of driveway in 10 mins.

I don't think companies are any different then you're regular, run of the mill town jackass with a F-150 and a plow. Given the opportunity, they'll take advantage.

None of us are really in our 80s yet - god only knows how alert and aware we are at that age. Let's not pass judgement on the old lady, saying she could have opted out if she wanted too. She may not know any better than to keep paying the montly fee.

footballdude
Premium Member
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO

footballdude

Premium Member

Re: Some people don't know any better

said by Jeff:

my grandfather got taken advantage of by some schmuck because my grandfather thought $150 was the "going rate" to plow 175 feet of driveway in 10 mins.
Wow, that is a ripoff. I used to pay the bills for my subdivision and we only paid $200 for snow removal for the entire place.

Jeff
Connoisseur of leisurely things
Premium Member
join:2002-12-24
GMT -5

Jeff

Premium Member

Re: Some people don't know any better

said by footballdude:
said by Jeff:

my grandfather got taken advantage of by some schmuck because my grandfather thought $150 was the "going rate" to plow 175 feet of driveway in 10 mins.
Wow, that is a ripoff. I used to pay the bills for my subdivision and we only paid $200 for snow removal for the entire place.
Tell me about it. When I found out, I asked my grandfather for a description as best as he could do, and spent 2 hours driving around town looking for the guy. Never found him.

Ah well, Karma takes over, and at the time, probably saved me from from being arrested.

Rinkydink
@speakeasy.net

Rinkydink

Anon

But she still liked it

Many times those agreements also provide for the phone company to work on lines inside the house, something not normally done anymore. For the elderly, its not a bad idea since their houses are usually elderly too. So it means free house calls from a tech. It's not mentioned in the article, so I have to take a guess at what the $29/month acurally buys.

Funny thing is though she misses her rotary phone. I'm not that old, and sometimes I miss those old things sometimes too. You never had to worry about it breaking if you dropped it on the floor.....

Fatal Vector
join:2005-11-26

Fatal Vector

Member

Re: But she still liked it

"Many times those agreements also provide for the phone company to work on lines inside the house, something not normally done anymore. For the elderly, its not a bad idea since their houses are usually elderly too. So it means free house calls from a tech.

AT&T calls this "linebacker" service and they pull a $2 a month rip for it. The dirty little secret is that inside wiring RARELY, if EVER goes bad, since it's tacked along the baseboard in older installs, and runs inside the wll in newer. WHAT, exactly, is going to damage it?

This is the same slick crap as charging for touch tone (yes, there are STILL places and telcos that charge $2-3/mo for touch tone.

Ma Bell at her money grubbing finest.
gao16
join:2006-04-18
Algonquin, IL

gao16

Member

Re: But she still liked it

How wrong can you be?

The dirty little secret is that bad things happen to inside wirng all the time. When it costs close to $100 for someone from AT&T to come out and tell you that the problem is inside most people wish they had linebacker. Then you tell them that it costs $25 every 15 mins they really wish they had it.

Just like any other insurance you hate to pay for it until you'd be faced with a big bill to repair. Of course if you're disciplined enough to keep money aside to pay the big repair bills you'd probsbly come out ahead not paying for it.

Most people(myself included) aren't that disciplined.

R4M0N
Brazilian Soccer Ownz Joo
join:2000-10-04
Glen Allen, VA

R4M0N

Member

According to some of you

It seems elderly people cease to be responsible for their own choices after a certain age. The company I work for was paying $250/month for sub-par hosting + 45.00 for email + $25 for "additional web space" + 5 for a domain pointer. That's $305 dollars.

I have them paying $40 for much more features now. Was it the fault of the previous hosting company that they were being ripped off? No.

Old people are still over the legal age if I remember correctly. If they are so gullible, remove their freedom to make their own choices or shut up about it.

Old people have kids, where are they to help them make wise choices in regards to things they don't understand?

I know squat about mutual funds (about as much as old people do about technology). Does that mean the ugly investment firm should be vilified if I make a bad choice in investments?

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

tim_k
Buttons, Bows, Beamer, Shadow, Kasey
Premium Member
join:2002-02-02
Stewartstown, PA

tim_k

Premium Member

some people want to rent-period

Some of the guys I worked with tried to talk people out of the phone rental. For whatever reason, the people preferred renting. Blame the telco all you want, the people made the decision.
93388818 (banned)
It's cool, I'm takin it back
join:2000-03-14
Dallas, TX

93388818 (banned)

Member

Re: some people want to rent-period

said by tim_k:

Some of the guys I worked with tried to talk people out of the phone rental. For whatever reason, the people preferred renting. Blame the telco all you want, the people made the decision.
DO NOT inject fact into this rant against the Telcos. God forbid if the telco had actually changed their service because they thought it was in the customer's best interest there would be an article and rant about that too - and from the same people.

cableties
Premium Member
join:2005-01-27

cableties

Premium Member

Believably Verizon! (er Lucent, er Ma Bell)

yd-t-t-t-t-t, rshht-t-t-t, rshht-t-t-ttt, rshht-t-t-tttttt, ddttt, Oh drat, I missed a gosh dar number (click click), yd-t-t-t-t-t, Oh, what was i doing.

Actually, some elder deserve a rotary: they won't be dialing wrong numbers over and over...

shortckt
Watchen Das Blinken Lights
Premium Member
join:2000-12-05
Tenant Hell

shortckt

Premium Member

What a quaint ripoff!

said by Yahoo news article :

Ester Strogen, 82, of Canton, first leased two black rotary phones - the kind whose round dial is moved manually with your finger in the 1960s. Back then, the technology was new and owning telephones was unaffordable for most people. (emphasis mine)
The Strowger switch, which allowed customers to dial their own outgoing calls without an operator, was patented way back in 1891 by Almon B. Strowger. He also invented the pulse-dial telephone to go along with his new switch.

The Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange Company installed and opened the first commercial automatic telephone exchange on November 3, 1892 in La Porte, IN. The company later became Automatic Electric Co.

In the late 60's you could buy surplus telephone equipment (mostly US Govt war surplus) for next to nothing.

The option to stop renting phones was probably announced once in a small sentence at the bottom of the monthly bill, in language that would need translation for some folks... the entire phone bill would need translation for most.

Charging customers to rent the same outdated equipment that they were bulldozing into the ground by the truckload... the ILECS should get an award for one of the longest running successful scams!

•••
Rick5
Premium Member
join:2001-02-06

Rick5

Premium Member

Not to be unsympathetic but

I really don't feel sorry for her.

Looking back on many things we all might do in our lifetimes, the time value of money can make them extremely expensive.

Did you ever add up what that MORTGAGE will cost you over 30 years time?
Don't fall over when looking at the number in case you don't know it.

Anything that is rented/leased or financed in some way is generally going to be very expensive. And it's why cash is king. The other factor is simply human nature. Like it or not, most of us as we get older will become much more set in our ways. I've had older relatives where I pointed different things out to them and have basically been told ..thanks, but no thanks for trying to save me anything.

"I know what I want..I know who I want it from..and at this stage of the game..I'm not changing now."

This woman was 60 to 61 years old when the option to change this agreement was there. She didn't take it.
Unless she was senile at which point she should have had a guardian anyway..she made that decision and it obviously wasn't all that important to her to save whatever the difference was.

You also have to realize that long ago..phones were much more expensive. It's comparable to what cable modems used to cost, or any technology for that matter..and why even for myself, at one point it made more sense to just rent it from the cable co. That was true with phones too.

These days..? No, they're a dime a dozen..much like it makes more sense usually to own a modem instead.

But there are surely people out there who do know better..but decide anyway to lease theirs.

Anyways..the bottom line I think is the she's old argument really doesn't wash with me. I've had too many older relatives and found that many times..it's just like talking to a wall. Because they're just too set in their ways.

Just like I will be too I'm sure.

bogusmedia
@165.204.x.x

bogusmedia

Anon

I call BS

$14000 is Just about 40 years of the lady's **ENTIRE** phone bill. That is a bit different from the actual amount she spent leasing the phone. The lease charges were a few dollars a month as I recall, *STARTING* in about 1982. Before that you had no choice. Your first phone came from the Phone Company. About that time they gave you the chance to buy your phone for about $25, which I of course did. I am still using that phone. It still has the number of where I lived then, too!

Now of course this little old lady has, probably spent $800-1500 for a phone that was probably worth $75 in 1960,
but the difference is qualitative as well as quantitative!

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

I like my old 501 black boat anchor phone

My favorite phone is my old black rotary dial 1960 era telephone. Granted it does not do touch-tone, it is getting kinda ragged, but it does not die, it has very good sound, and it has no batteries.

I can see how the person in question would like it back, even to the point of paying the monthly 'rent'. I tried to keep another one long ago but it was against company policy, even though I had an unconfirmed report that pacbell was destroying the phones instead of letting people keep them after all those years of 'renting'.

I will not get involved in the rights or wrongs about the way the telephone companies do business (even though they are so arrogant that they did not believe they could be blue boxed until one of the mobs bought up the technology), but I remember keeping rotary from 1992 to 1999 at one place just because they wanted to charge me USD1.00/month + taxes and un-taxes to save them money by going to touch-tone (cheaper to buy a $12 switchable phone for sites that needed touch-tone).
dick white
Premium Member
join:2000-03-24
Springfield, VA

dick white

Premium Member

Re: I like my old 501 black boat anchor phone

Yup, RayW, you are the only one so far in the thread that sees the point I see in all of it. Leaving aside all the business and ethical issues being discussed so vigorously in the other posts, Ma Bell's old black rotary phones were built to last. They may not have been pretty, with personal ringtones and shaped like Minnie Mouse for the kid's room and all that, but damn, they worked. All the time.

dw

brandon
Some truth included in this post.
Premium Member
join:2003-03-31
Ocean Springs, MS

brandon

Premium Member

Wait, wait, wait...

An 82 year old woman named Ester Strogen?!

If you say that really fast, it's...estrogen.

Not a hoax?
cptmiles2
Premium Member
join:2004-04-22
Swayzee, IN

cptmiles2

Premium Member

Re: Wait, wait, wait...

What? You haven't heard of her. She married Tester Osteron!

POB
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium Member
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA

POB

Premium Member

Lucent Screws Its Customers?

Really? Say it ain't so! Notwithstanding the unconscionability of charging $30.00 /month for 42 yrs to an octogenerian for a telephone that she could have bought at Target for under $10.00, there is neither a tort nor criminal conduct afoot here.

The question to ask is were Esther Estrogen's family when the woman was paying her monthly bills? Surely someone could have informed grandma of the $30.00 itemization in the monthly billing statement. As much as I despise the telcos for their complicity in the NSA spying scandal, the only ones at fault here are Esther and her family for not paying closer attention to the phone bill.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: Lucent Screws Its Customers?

said by POB:

As much as I despise the telcos for their complicity in the NSA spying scandal, the only ones at fault here are Esther and her family for not paying closer attention to the phone bill.
Man, for a second there, I thought you were going to blame the NSA
53059959 (banned)
Temp banned from BBR more then anyone
join:2002-10-02
PwnZone

2 recommendations

53059959 (banned)

Member

you guys are looking at this the wrong way

Click for full size
she wanted to keep her old rotary phone so she could hack into the matrix.

duh?

Derch
Premium Member
join:2004-10-16
Hanahan, SC

Derch

Premium Member

Re: you guys are looking at this the wrong way

Remember, there is no spoon...
sharksfan3
Premium Member
join:2004-02-16
North Hollywood, CA

sharksfan3 to 53059959

Premium Member

to 53059959
LOL!!
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