AT&T Hikes CallVantage 'Carrier Cost Recovery Fee' > FTC needs to crack down

FTC needs to crack down

All of these companies are attempting to charge a 'fee' for many items that they either

A) Do not control directly (FUSF, e911, surcharges) and vary by locality - this ensures that corp doesn't have to change fee structure based on outside influence.
B) Want to obscure the cost of service. Eg. with Cable, analog TV in many areas are more expensive than digital... but wait, with digital there's a 'STB' fee, an 'STB programming fee', shipping fees, and of course, the 'remote rental' fee.
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Canada = Hollywood North

If that were true the amount would vary from market to market. In the majority of these cases the un-fee prices are uniform or are plan dependent. Rarely do I see them vary from franchise to franchise or market to market. In my case with Viatalk, 9-1-1 is $2.50 no matter what and it's required. So no matter what, a $14.95 plan is ALWAYS $17.45. They should advertise it as such.

And with digital cable, the first STB that is required for use is INCLUDED in the advertised price. At least for every cable operator I've seen.

What's we're talking about is itemized overhead in order to be able to advertise a lower price than is really charged. It's bull an the FTC needs to step in and stop the fraud.

I mean come on..."regulatory recovery fee"? EVERY company is subject to regulation and it's costs. But telcos and airlines are some of the very few industries lame enough to itemize it.

reply to Dogfather
Bingo. False advertising, and useful for misleading and bogus comparisons.

$19.95 a month*

* Plus taxes, surcharges, fees, CEO bonus, slush fund, Bribes, Country Club Golf-cart rental recovery fee, yadda yadda yadda