AT&T Customers Pay For AT&T's Tax Screwup > How is this legal?

reply to Youngjm

Re: How is this legal?

It does not need to be fair, they are taxes owed to the State and need to be paid for. ATT's primary obligation is to its Shareholders by providing services to its customers. If enough customers leave, then they will rethink what they need to do to maximize their revenue. If they did not pass this along, some lawyer would sue ATT for minimizing their clients return on investment by not passing the taxes along.

Catch 22.

Good question...as far as I know the PUC has to approve all new fees, so I don't get how they can push this through.

reply to Youngjm
Not a Catch-22.
AS&S attempted to defraud the state. Claim it as a "mistake" if you will. Whatever acceptance you are will to allow, the more who do as you are doing, saying this is acceptable behavior, the lower we drop the bar on acceptable behavior.

As for me, I wish to raise the bar on integrity; not lower it. Why do we just accept these things? It is NOT acceptable, nor should we even begin to say, "Oh well, what can we do about it"?

I'll tell you what we do about it: Dump the chump. When they assess the early termination fee, sue and demand it be refunded, with interest.
We demand the state hold AT&T accountable for their crimes. That means, THEY must pay the fines, and CANNOT pass it on to their customers, and CANNOT invent ways to recoup. Or, lose their ability to operate in the state.

Harsh? I don't think so. It's just we are so lenient, any punishment is harsh.
Imagine how many companies would change their behaviors if their fine was losing the right to operate. No money? Uh, ok, we'll play by the rules.

Let's RAISE the bar, not lower it to subterranian levels.