pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Contracts Mean Nothing!
So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice!
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This isn't fair! I was only supposed to hate just ONE presidential candidate! |
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DoRight
join:2007-07-20
Mechanicsburg, PA
 ·Comcast
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Verizon FIOS
| I feel it's unfair to make someone sign a new contract after you have already completed the first two year agreement. It's unfair if there is no equipment or service discounts involved. This is coming from someone that was in the industry for 13 years.. All people are wanting to do is change their plan.. What does that cost a carrier? NOTHING... |
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spamd
Premium
join:2001-04-22
Rockford, IL
·Insight Communicat..
| Arbitration
My question is why wasn't mandatory arbitration there before all of this. Isn't this the standard now for companies with a large user base?
Well at least Comcast has a opt out form.
»consumerist.com/consumer/cable/o···2174.php
»Opt Out Of Comcast Arbitration
»www.comcast.com/arbitrationoptou···ult.ashx
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When everything is coming your way, you are in the wrong lane. |
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sousademiami
join:2003-02-04
Hialeah, FL
·Comcast
 ·AT&T Southeast
1 edit | reply to pnh102
Re: Contracts Mean Nothing!
said by pnh102  :So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice! And end up getting a whopping....
21 million - 40% for the lawyers = 12.6 million / 70 million participants gives you:
$0.18!!!!
All that at cost of paying only one $175.00 ETF! |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA | reply to spamd
Re: Arbitration
Hm, I haven't heard of wireless operators doing this?
But even if they did, at least in some states you can't legally sign away your rights to a class-action suit, so that part of the contract becomes unenforceable. |
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Yougotit
@tds.net
| reply to pnh102
Re: Contracts Mean Nothing!
said by pnh102 :So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice! Yep! You can sue away!!!
And those really 'nice' contracts that give the company all the rights and the customer and the pain would never give anyone reason to be upset with the poor little ole mom and pop cell phone company, riiiiight? |
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DannyBallZ
@charter.com
| ETF Management
A carrier has a right to enforce a service agreement with a patron if they offer him/her a subsidized handset.
But carriers have gone beyond that when trying to force new contracts on customers changing pricing plans or porting their number back in during a win-back situation. This is where it becomes burdensome on the consumer.
The best thing for customers to do to avoid these problems is to educate themselves on wireless industry practices and carrier guidelines. Carriers should also be required to be upfront with their customers when enforcing new contract terms.
Carriers like VZW now force customers over the phone to verbally agree to new contract terms so that the customer can't say later on that they never agreed to it.
There are other options including prepaid, Flex Pay or regional carriers who offer full service without binding contracts.
Pro-rating or discounting ETF's are a start, but still leave room for improvement. I'd like to see ETF's based upon the actual hardware subsidy given. For example, if i pay $ 100 for a phone worth $ 200, then I feel my ETF should be $ 100. If I bring my own handset to a carrier for activation or pay full retail price for my phone, there should be no contract and no ETF applied to the consumer.
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DMWCincy
join:2004-04-27
Fairfield, OH
| said by DannyBallZ :
There are other options including prepaid, Flex Pay or regional carriers who offer full service without binding contracts.
This is why my wife and I stick with our local telco's wireless service. No contracts to deal with. We call up every few months, work out a new deal on the phones and not have to deal with signing up for another 2 yrs. Its nice to know that I dont have to pay $175 to move to another service |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to pnh102
Re: Contracts Mean Nothing!
said by pnh102 :So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice! Oh yes to you all lawyers are sleazy until YOU need one then he is the "nice" one. Hypocrite.
So what you're sdaying is that companies should be able to not live up to THEIR part of the contract and people shouldn't have nay legal recourse? They should bend over and take it? |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to sousademiami
said by sousademiami :said by pnh102 :So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice! And end up getting a whopping.... 21 million - 40% for the lawyers = 12.6 million / 70 million participants gives you: $0.18!!!! All that at cost of paying only one $175.00 ETF! The important thing is thanks to these lawsuit and the "sleazy" lawyers behind then EVERYONE now has 30 day free trials and pro-rated ETFs. ETFs shouldn't be $175 anyways. The mobile companies are still making a killing off of them like they do with their texting rates. |
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benc
Premium
join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
·Charter Pipeline
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to DannyBallZ
Re: ETF Management
Here's a better idea:
- No more contracts, month-to-month only. So no more ETFs.
- No more equipment subsidies by the carrier. Reduce monthly service fees.
To replace equipment subsidies, instead have banks offer loans for a small amount of money. There are numerous advantages to this:
- Rates are determined by credit worthiness, which I think is fair.
- More flexible. Want to pay the entire cost of the phone upfront and save money? Fine. Want to pay for the entire cost of the phone over time, for a little more money each month? Also fine.
- Rates can't stay high, since if another bank offers a better rate customers will go there. |
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Radioman991
join:2001-09-24
Dayton, OH
1 edit | reply to BF69
Re: Contracts Mean Nothing!
said by BF69 :said by pnh102 :So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice! Oh yes to you all lawyers are sleazy until YOU need one then he is the "nice" one. Hypocrite. So what you're sdaying is that companies should be able to not live up to THEIR part of the contract and people shouldn't have nay legal recourse? They should bend over and take it? oops sorry for the double post |
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Radioman991
join:2001-09-24
Dayton, OH
| reply to BF69
said by BF69 :said by pnh102 :So if I sign a contract and I don't feel like living up to my end of it, I can find a sleazy lawyer who can sue for me. Nice! Oh yes to you all lawyers are sleazy until YOU need one then he is the "nice" one. Hypocrite. So what you're sdaying is that companies should be able to not live up to THEIR part of the contract and people shouldn't have nay legal recourse? They should bend over and take it? As far as I am concerned, all lawyers are sleazy. The 21st Century version of the stereotypical used car salesman |
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DoRight
join:2007-07-20
Mechanicsburg, PA | reply to Radioman991
Yes.. I needed one a few years back and they did nothing for me and made thousands off me.. Most are a joke.. |
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snappakazoo
Inconceivable
join:2000-09-10
Wyckoff, NJ
| Everyone relax a bit
While I agree that Harold's case is extreme, most of us enter into these contracts knowing the terms. Let's keep in mind that if businesses don't make money, they will not offer new products, improve service and generally will not innovate. We live in a capitalist society. You may not like that Verizon is making money. And that money may be making the CEO rich, but it is also being reinvested in the network to make it better so they can compete.
As for lawyers, they are not all sleazy. And not even close to used car salesmen. Let's be realistic. You may not like lawyers, but they are a common force for change in this country. |
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quatrix
Premium
join:2005-02-11
Davie, FL
| reply to DoRight
Re: Contracts Mean Nothing!
said by DoRight :I feel it's unfair to make someone sign a new contract after you have already completed the first two year agreement. It's unfair if there is no equipment or service discounts involved. The company isn't "making" them do anything. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to BF69
said by BF69 :Oh yes to you all lawyers are sleazy until YOU need one then he is the "nice" one. Hypocrite. So you can prove that I've hired a lawyer to file a BS lawsuit?
said by BF69 :So what you're sdaying is that companies should be able to not live up to THEIR part of the contract and people shouldn't have nay legal recourse? They should bend over and take it? Um, no. What I'm saying is that if someone agrees to a contract, they should not whine about being expected to hold up their end of it. In this case, they chose to sign a contract obligating them to an ETF and got charged it, what exactly is the problem here?
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This isn't fair! I was only supposed to hate just ONE presidential candidate! |
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Radioman991
join:2001-09-24
Dayton, OH
| reply to snappakazoo
Re: Everyone relax a bit
said by snappakazoo :While I agree that Harold's case is extreme, most of us enter into these contracts knowing the terms. Let's keep in mind that if businesses don't make money, they will not offer new products, improve service and generally will not innovate. We live in a capitalist society. You may not like that Verizon is making money. And that money may be making the CEO rich, but it is also being reinvested in the network to make it better so they can compete. As for lawyers, they are not all sleazy. And not even close to used car salesmen. Let's be realistic. You may not like lawyers, but they are a common force for change in this country. Sorry, but I disagree. The legal system is next behind the other Government jobs program...all the assorted industries sucking blood from all of us via the tax system.
"Oh NO! I spilled my coffee! I deserve a MILLION!" Oh NO! My cell phone contract sucks! I want out...I'll SUE!!!!!. Lookie here, I WIN!! WEEEEEE!!!! Here Mr Shyster, here's your 40 %! I will take my quarter and go home happy!!!!!" "Oh NO!!! I got drunk and fell off my neighbor's porch! I will OWN his HOUSE!!!!!! oops...gotta sell it to pay the lawyers"
I have been sued, and had to waste 2 unproductive days in a courthouse...after 3 YEARS of depositions, BS, and useless crap from lawyers, I am slightly tainted.
Bring on the flames...or better yet, SUE ME!!!!!
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to DoRight
Re: Contracts Mean Nothing!
said by DoRight :I feel it's unfair to make someone sign a new contract after you have already completed the first two year agreement. You're right of course... but where was anyone coerced into signing anything?
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This isn't fair! I was only supposed to hate just ONE presidential candidate! |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to BF69
said by BF69 :The important thing is thanks to these lawsuit and the "sleazy" lawyers behind then EVERYONE now has 30 day free trials and pro-rated ETFs. Even if that was true, people still had options of prepaid phones and paying full price for the phone as means of avoiding contracts altogether.
Anyone who sues over an ETF he/she agreed to pay should be made to pay double or triple the ETF in my opinion.
said by BF69 :ETFs shouldn't be $175 anyways. The mobile companies are still making a killing off of them like they do with their texting rates. So don't agree to a contract that includes one. Problem solved.
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This isn't fair! I was only supposed to hate just ONE presidential candidate! |
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