how-to block ads
|
morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:
 ·Charter Pipeline
 ·AT&T Southwest
| reply to ph03n1x
Re: Would you like an extended warranty with your DSL?
No, I understood your point. I stand by my earlier comment that the burden is on the ISP to either price the product/service correctly, considering that there is a range of users, including those extremely ignorant of all things internet, AND/OR educate users on what to do.
This trend by corporations to try and nickle and dime consumers to death is not a welcome change. It is particularly disturbing that this trend seems to be encroaching more and more into everyday life. | |
ph03n1x
join:2003-02-15
Sanford, FL
| said by morbo  :No, I understood your point. I stand by my earlier comment that the burden is on the ISP to either price the product/service correctly, considering that there is a range of users, including those extremely ignorant of all things internet, AND/OR educate users on what to do. I suppose we must agree to disagree. I feel that the onus of learning what is supported by whom and what kind of problems are caused by what should be on the customer. While I agree that companies want to nickel and dime, it's unrealistic in the current market to price a service correctly based on it's cost. There is a larger attitude, at least in the USA of people feeling entitled to everything for nothing and being unwilling to learn anything about what they are buying. Everything starts at a loss to be competitive. To do otherwise would mean internet service would be $50-60 a month (a decent starting point if you consider the $10 per tech support call cost) still for basic speeds. If a company priced their service at this rate, say for a 1.5 line, then they would not have very many subscribers. | |
morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:
·Charter Pipeline
·AT&T Southwest
| I guess we do agree to disagree.
If products or services cannot be priced correctly based on cost, then those companies will go out of business and those services will not or should not be provided. Capitalism, eh?
There is a personal entitlement issue in the USA, but I don't see it in this case. If anything, I see your view as a corporate entitlement issue. Your position comes off as Corporations are unable to price correctly due to over demanding consumers. In reality, DSL and cable internet are huge cash cows for these corporations. I don't for one minute feel that I should feel like I should pay more for these services. It's like feeling sorry for the poor car salesman that is only making $2500 commission off my new car versus $2800. Enough profit is being made that the issue isn't relevant.
Obviously, if my ISP has to raise the price to stay in business or because they feel that they have consumers on hook (common with cable tv), I, as a consumer, decide if I want to stay with that provider or go to another, if there is even an option.
| |
DSL Oberst
join:2001-11-29
| said by morbo :Obviously, if my ISP has to raise the price to stay in business or because they feel that they have consumers on hook (common with cable tv), I, as a consumer, decide if I want to stay with that provider or go to another, if there is even an option. Ah, I see. What happens when corporations do what you say and price it near the actual cost? Why, then the customers go to war! More screaming of "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!" and demands for credits and the first-born of a rep.
Earthlink used to price its ADSL close to the cost - 49.99 for 1.5 down. What happened? Bitch and whine by the customers, because the telcos subsidize the cost of their extremely anti-profitable internet services with their very profitable regular telephone service. Cable internet? Same deal - all subsidized by the prices you pay for TV. Satellite? SAME DEAL. All broadband is subsidized by the profits for some other venture offered by the same company. Those who DON'T have another venture have gone down the tubes because they can't win the price war - see Earthlink, @Home, and several other 'ISPs'.
So, sure, I'll agree with your opinion. Just let me have Murdoch's empire and I'll guarantee you'll get all the broadband you want for $5/month. I'll be subsidizing it out the other profits I get for everything else, but you won't mind. That is, until I undercut everyone else, buy them out, and have a monopoly on the interweb. You still won't mind...after all, you get what you pay for, yes? | |
|
