 rchandraStargate Universe fanPremium
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105 | reply to tmc8080
Re: It would sell itself IF In many respects, it's not possible to agree with you more. Their rates are outrageous, especially compared to TWC/RR in my area (Cheektowaga, NY). Let's see...
TWC gives me 10/1M service, which BTW bursts up to about 14M according to the Flash-based speed tests. And this is for roughly $45/mo. ($41.95 + fees/taxes). I can get video over the same connection, including some channels in DTV and HD without any decryption gear for about $55 and change/mo. They pretty much don't care what's connected to the cablemodem I bought at Circuit City as long as it's Ethernet, talks IP, and gets its parameters via DHCP. It got connected basically on-demand (it was a service move, so there was like 1 wk or so notice on my part) and a 4 hr "re"install window given by them), and I can disconnect it without penalty whenever I choose.
Verizon OTOH is "constantly" mailing me "act now and get phone and Internet for $79.95/mo." ads (basically IMO wasting money on paper and postage). I don't need their "unlimited nationwide service" as my PSTN needs are fairly well taken care of by VoicePulse (@ ~ $15/mo.) and AT&T Mobility (which is reimbursed by my employer anyway); comparable feature services (call fwd, three way, etc.) would be more than $35 more/mo. While the up/down beats TWC at 15/5 for that bundle price, it's actually fairly similar speed. If I want just Internet, it's $55/mo. for that speed, with apparently no slower ( == less expensive) tiers even available (although there used to be 5/1 and 10/2). I have to lock in for at least a year; if I want month-to-month freedom (that is, not sure whether I'm going to be laid off or not in these uncertain times), I have to pay a $10/mo. premium. They want to "set up" my computer, which no doubt they will want it to be Spawn of Steve (either Ballmer or Jobs, take your pick, when it's in fact, gift of Linus  ). FiOS TV is not available for some reason at my location, but is available in other towns around here, so I'd have to keep my current cable.
So let's just think about this a minute...if appropriately priced, I would hop on their 25/15 (used to be 20/20) tier in the blink of an eye. Their contract price for that is $70/mo., with an $8/mo. month-to-month penalty. And every time I see prices like that I think of the service in places like South Korea which like 50/50 or 100/100 for the equivalent of $30/mo. I would gladly pay a few hundred dollars for any needed CPE up front, as I don't believe in this shady business of cost shifting "free" stuff into monthly fees, and not reducing these monthly fees after some period. For 25/15 kind of speed, somewhere in the neighborhood of $50/mo. seems reasonable to me, w/o any penalty for needing to disconnect if I get laid off.
But no...instead they push their bundles with phone service I don't want, without TV service that I do want, and ding me extra if I don't want to commit to a year of service, or really ding me if I cancel early.
<sarcasm>That's just the sort of thing to spur me on when so many are watching expenses due to the uncertain economy.</sarcasm>
--
English is a difficult enough language to interpret correctly when its rules are followed, let alone when a writer chooses not to follow those rules.
Jeopardy! replies REALLY suck! |
