jimbo48
join:2000-11-17
Hayward, CA
 ·AT&T DSL Service
·EarthLink
| reply to amigo_boy
Re: Invoice change: $5 Network Access Charge?
Dr Olds has looked into the various EULAs for the Telcos and they are pretty much the same. They can raise rates, change delivered performance with the "best effort clause" they all like to include. None of the telcos will guarantee ANYthing except to bill you for whatever services they say they delivered. Its really sad because I've been with ELNK(and their "ancestor- mindspring) for along time(1998)and except for a memorable outage-Remember the Redback SNAFU-and my initial DSL provisioning-took 6 months) ELNK has been rather decent and solid. Its when they rolled out their premium DSL( Buyer beware) service and outsourced their Tech support to "who knows where these days" they started gong downhill and approaching "inept". ELNK (via COVAD) still delivers the best telco package DSL home phone a VOIP package in my neck of the woods. My CO distance really hinders me and lets not even consider Cable. I signed up for premium DSL etc and was "promised" 6-8 MB download from Sales and was told that because I was already provisioned at 1.5 there would be no problems. Well I ended up with a 3 MB download (most of the time) so they reduced my Rate to 64.95 a month. Now the very same service is back to 69.95 a month. Ah ain't technology grand. |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
 ·Cox HSI
 ·magicjack.com
| reply to jimbo48
said by jimbo48  :their EULA is really quite astounding Is Earthlink unique in this regard? What are the terms of service of other providers?
I haven't noticed yet whether my price has gone up. But, a 12% increase in 6 years (after a 25% reduction) doesn't seem bad. The price would still be competitive. I guess I could switch to Qwest and save a little. But, *all* my outages have been due to Qwest. Prisoner's dilemma.
I don't like the way Earthlink danced around it as something other than a price increase. That was as disgusting as President Clinton's quibbling about what the word "is" is.
Mark |
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jimbo48
join:2000-11-17
Hayward, CA
·AT&T DSL Service
·EarthLink
| reply to Doctor Olds
Hello Dr Olds,
Well I've received my ELNK invoice for October and they've raised myDSL/Home service 5.00 so its now a fact.
A rate hike is a rate hike and their EULA is really quite asonding in that they hold themselves blameless for "almost anything".
ELNK will go the way of a host of other companies who continue to deteriorate in terms of prouct and service and rate raises and we will have lost a one-time stellar ISP company. I hate the thought of having to go to Comcast for their lousy service and continual rate hikes for non-service or a Verizon that can't even tell you if it can supply me with DSL until I sign up! |
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jimbo48
join:2000-11-17
Hayward, CA
·AT&T DSL Service
·EarthLink
| reply to jimbo48
For what its worth: excerpt from a Livechat transcript
info: 'Aaron K' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today?
*@earthlink.net: I received this 5.00 elecommunications network access fee email from ELNK. Is ELNK saying that they are raising my rate to connect to the Internet by an addiitonal 5.00 per month, access telephone services for an additional 5.00.
Aaron K: Hello. I will provide you the details. \
*@earthlink.net: ok
Aaron K: Yes. There is increase in price by $5.00 for net work access.
@earthlink.net: so it is a rate hike correct?
Aaron K: Yes. You are correct.
*@earthlink.net: so the contract I agreed to for services can be changed with a 30 day notice and ELNK doesn't have to do anything different
Aaron K: This increase is due to the increase in Net work access charges. |
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jimbo48
join:2000-11-17
Hayward, CA
·AT&T DSL Service
·EarthLink
| reply to Doctor Olds
I've been a fan of ELNK for years but they keep shooting themselves in the foot lately to the point that I am not too keen on them. Heck prices are going up we all know that so why don't they just be upfront about it. ELNK, even with its problems, offers more than AT&T, Verizon or some of the other providers in my area |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs: | reply to jimbo48
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that.  |
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jimbo48
join:2000-11-17
Hayward, CA
·AT&T DSL Service
·EarthLink
| reply to chitownvet
Yep- ELNKs EULA is a fine peice of legalese, absolving them of anything that remotely indicates a level of basic customer service, satisfaction or corporate responsibility. It truely is a "Buyer Beware" attitude they have sunk to-I'm referring to managerial decisions not the people. They're just doing what they've been told to do say (or not say) |
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jimbo48
join:2000-11-17
Hayward, CA
·AT&T DSL Service
·EarthLink
| reply to SeVere
I was just told that there will be an additional 5.00 tacked onto my bill from ELNK for "Network Access" fee because ELNK is being charged more for access. This is a rate hike for services rendered and as Dr Olds points out covered in their EULA which absolves them of anything remotely connected with services, support or responsibility. ELNK communications are less than truthful and they do a fine job of wordsmithing and dancing around the fact that they are raising rates. Gotta hand it to their legal staff-pretty slick bottom-feeders. It wouldn't be as upsetting if they had just told me that we're raising our prices because our costs for providing service has risen as well but they chose to be deliberately vague in their wording. |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to chitownvet
It is no different that any contract like a Lease (Business or Residential) or an apartment rental Contract or a Cell Phone Contract. They do have to follow their rules though and provide you 30 days notice.
Even my standard DSL contract has the same boilerplate about 30 days notice being required.
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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chitownvet
join:2006-11-13
Chicago, IL
| reply to Doctor Olds
Read it and found the line relating to this. What a crock. So the contract basically says that I am obligated for the year to pay them what could possibly be an ever increasing monthly (every 30 days)fee without any recourse save complaining. And if I decide to cancel based on this, I would pay a penalty. Somethings wrong with that picture...  |
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TheHelpful1
Premium
join:2002-01-11
Upper Marlboro, MD
| reply to Doctor Olds
said by Doctor Olds :said by Glenn Norum :
Doctor Olds - do you work for Earthlink? No. That should be a given unless Doc lives in India 
--
"My weakness is that I care too much" |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to chitownvet
said by chitownvet :Is it legal to raise your fee when you are still under contract for the agreed upon price? As already posted, with 30 days notice it is legal. The details are online here:
»www.earthlink.net/about/policies···mephone/
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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chitownvet
join:2006-11-13
Chicago, IL
| reply to dlathem
My latest bill (received on the 6th) did not contain this $5 additional charge. I imagine it will be on the next one.
Is it legal to raise your fee when you are still under contract for the agreed upon price? It's not a "government charge or tax" as they mention. So they are jacking up my fee while I am still under contract. |
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dlathem
Premium
join:2000-08-11
Birmingham, AL
| reply to Doctor Olds
I have yet to receive any notice from them about the $5 "recovery fee". I will be interested to see what my statement looks like when I get it in a few weeks. If I did not recived the notice 30 days prior to the change then I don't intend to pay it. |
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RogerADSL
join:2004-12-10
Lawrenceville, GA
·Comcast
·AT&T Southeast
| reply to eric_n_dfw
That's the craziest thing I have ever heard from the Scientology crowd! What are they thinking.. Mindspring...RIP! I don't think Charlie would have allowed that..... |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to eric_n_dfw
Has anyone actually gotten a bill yet to see if the Total has changed to $5.00 bucks higher than the previous months or if $5.00 bucks is just itemized differently on the Invoicing with the Total bill remaining the same?
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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SeVere
join:2001-01-06
Chicago, IL | reply to eric_n_dfw
Their customer service department insists my bill will not be more and that the $5.00 charge is for my enhanced call forwarding. LOL. |
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chitownvet
join:2006-11-13
Chicago, IL | reply to Karl Bode
Yep, I received the same message here in Chicago. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | reply to eric_n_dfw
Can other users confirm that this "network access charge" is a new fee across Earthlink's territory? |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs: | reply to Glenn Norum
said by Glenn Norum :
Doctor Olds - do you work for Earthlink? No. |
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