shaner
Premium
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB
| Re: in the back pocket I think the argument that 'Americans lose $45 Billion to hidden fees' is specious. If below the line charges were outlawed, I'm positive those fees would just move above the line to be added to the monthly advertised price. Companies aren't going to lose revenue simply because there's a law in place.
I agree its a shitty practise. I would like to see the European model duplicated here which requires all taxes and fees to be included in any advertised or shelf price.
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I'm laying pipe,
all night long,
laying pipe,
to satisfy that woman.
- David Wilcox
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
 ·ViaTalk
2 edits | Re: in the back pocket True they would move them to base price. But the thing is this. When Sprint, Verizion or T-mobile advertise a $59.99 they all would end up being the same price after taxes since you should always pay the same tax no matter what company you use. Right now a $59 plan could add $5 to $10 depending on what the companies bogus fees are. It would make it easier to compare rates. This is what they don't want.
We shouldn't need new laws to fix this. This clearly is false advertising. | |
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 | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
 ·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| Re: in the back pocket I've never had that problem with TM. My problem was them cheating me out of minutes. Claimed i used all my 300 all the time. Moved providers problem went away. All of the fees that were on the bottom line after their rate were taxes in Ohio and the Feds. $5 worth which i never had with Sprint. With them it was also $9.00 plus some per month extra. | |
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| DonLibes
Premium,ExMod 2001
join:2003-01-19
| said by dcurrey  :True they would move them to base price. But the thing is this. When Sprint, Verizion or T-mobile advertise a $59.99 they all would end up being the same price after taxes since you should always pay the same tax no matter what company you use. Right now a $59 plan could add $5 to $10 depending on what the companies bogus fees are. It would make it easier to compare rates. This is what they don't want. We shouldn't need new laws to fix this. This clearly is false advertising. True but it would be very easy to come up with new ways that are not technically false advertising but are misleading nonetheless. For example, consider a broadplan advertised at $10/month but which rises to $50/month for the year if any calls are made to the support line. All the company has to do is screw up your service once and they'll guarantee themselves the $50/month charge. Doesn't even matter if the company doesn't do it intentionally. The number of customers that make no calls to a support line for broadband for a year has got to be close to zero. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| said by shaner :I think the argument that 'Americans lose $45 Billion to hidden fees' is specious. If below the line charges were outlawed, I'm positive those fees would just move above the line to be added to the monthly advertised price. Companies aren't going to lose revenue simply because there's a law in place. I agree its a shitty practice. I would like to see the European model duplicated here which requires all taxes and fees to be included in any advertised or shelf price. And are the fees really "hidden" when EVERYBODY knows about them. I agree it would be better to do this differently, but like you I agree it wouldn't change the price of the service at all.
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hopeflicker
Capitalism breeds greed
Premium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA
1 edit | Re: in the back pocket said by TKJunkMail :said by shaner :I think the argument that 'Americans lose $45 Billion to hidden fees' is specious. If below the line charges were outlawed, I'm positive those fees would just move above the line to be added to the monthly advertised price. Companies aren't going to lose revenue simply because there's a law in place. I agree its a shitty practice. I would like to see the European model duplicated here which requires all taxes and fees to be included in any advertised or shelf price. And are the fees really "hidden" when EVERYBODY knows about them. I agree it would be better to do this differently, but like you I agree it wouldn't change the price of the service at all. It would be nice to know how much your monthly bill will be when you first order service.
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Man created God in his image : intolerant, sexist, homophobic and violent. | |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by TKJunkMail :And are the fees really "hidden" when EVERYBODY knows about them. I agree it would be better to do this differently, but like you I agree it wouldn't change the price of the service at all. That is the problem, most of these fees, and particularly the dollar amounts, are not known when one first signs up. Most people would not have a problem paying slightly higher prices if the price included the costs of all the fees (regardless of breakdown). The only "on top" fees would be government-imposed taxes.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. | |
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| jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
USA | Yes, the fees are hidden. You don't know what they are until after you're charged. That seems pretty hidden to me. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Re: in the back pocket said by jjeffeory :Yes, the fees are hidden. You don't know what they are until after you're charged. That seems pretty hidden to me. All you have to do is ask the rep when ordering. They will give you what % the unfees come to.
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| | | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH | Re: in the back pocket Here when you ask; Taxes and Fees depend on region. We can't give you that price only a rough idea. Even with AT&T, VZ and everyone else. TWC is the only one that has is usually close. | |
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| | | | mrschwarz
join:2001-12-01
Flower Mound, TX
·Vonage
| Re: in the back pocket said by hottboiinnc :Here when you ask; Taxes and Fees depend on region. We can't give you that price only a rough idea. Even with AT&T, VZ and everyone else. TWC is the only one that has is usually close. Their billing department doesn't seem to have a problem calculating the fees. Why should the sales rep? If they give that answer, ask again. | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
 ·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| said by TKJunkMail :All you have to do is ask the rep when ordering. Bold emphasis added by me. See, that's the problem. You have to be actually ordering the service to find out. They aren't clearly known up front for comparison shopping purposes (like surfing the web, or the advertised rates.) Sure, when you're 85% of the way into signing the contract, you might be able to find out then, maybe... but there's nothing to stop it from increasing immediately, either. It's too much hassle. Up-front pricing, yes please.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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