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elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray to geoffreyq

Member

to geoffreyq

Re: When will AT&T stop RAPING their consumers?

said by geoffreyq:

When will AT&T finally realize that they are RAPING their consumers? First they blocked tethering, then they put forth 2GB data plans, and now THIS!

Their customers are free to go elsewhere. But they won't.

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

said by elray:

said by geoffreyq:

When will AT&T finally realize that they are RAPING their consumers? First they blocked tethering, then they put forth 2GB data plans, and now THIS!

Their customers are free to go elsewhere. But they won't.

Well no, most are not free. Nevermind that most are tied to absurd high penalty fees...most have nowhere else to go as the competition is laughable in most areas and the few that do have multiple companies find that most have the same sky-high prices across the board
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

said by Bill Neilson:

said by elray:

said by geoffreyq:

When will AT&T finally realize that they are RAPING their consumers? First they blocked tethering, then they put forth 2GB data plans, and now THIS!

Their customers are free to go elsewhere. But they won't.

Well no, most are not free. Nevermind that most are tied to absurd high penalty fees...most have nowhere else to go as the competition is laughable in most areas and the few that do have multiple companies find that most have the same sky-high prices across the board

No, sorry. They ARE all free to go - the new rates do not apply to existing contracts. Early termination fees are not relevant - you committed to those up front when you were salivating over the latest gizmo.

The competition does offer better rates for nearly every class of service.
Unfortunately, if you don't bother to shop, you'll never discover that.
And that's why AT&T is able to continue their practice.

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

said by elray:

No, sorry. They ARE all free to go - the new rates do not apply to existing contracts. Early termination fees are not relevant - you committed to those up front when you were salivating over the latest gizmo.

The competition does offer better rates for nearly every class of service.
Unfortunately, if you don't bother to shop, you'll never discover that.
And that's why AT&T is able to continue their practice.

No need to apologize. As I said and is done every day, most are not free to leave with the hundreds of dollars in penalties leveled against them for wanting to get out months after buying the phone.
Did you happen to stick your head under a pillow recently when AT&T jacked up their ETF's for what...the 3rd time in 2 years? Did you happen to see the sheer number wanting to switch yet not doing so b/c they didn't want to pay an absurd amount even after months of buying the original phone?

If I wanted to choose a company that offered coverage in my area WITHOUT any ETF's, I would not have had any cell phone in 3 of the last 4 cities that I lived in. Ah, what great competition. I had so many choices!

This site sees story after story of people begging someone else besides AT&T or Verizon to come into their area and offer something...anything....remotely decent....and they would jump

But, they can't...and they won't b/c cell phones or service is vital to their jobs, families, etc...and the need of it in general will override the absolutely atrocious service given to them.

The idea of competition being there but the thousands of people on here and elsewhere who cant find it...are just missing it somehow....I mean, huh? Do people not laugh out loud at the stupidity of that?
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

said by Bill Neilson:

No need to apologize. As I said and is done every day, most are not free to leave with the hundreds of dollars in penalties leveled against them for wanting to get out months after buying the phone.
Did you happen to stick your head under a pillow recently when AT&T jacked up their ETF's for what...the 3rd time in 2 years? Did you happen to see the sheer number wanting to switch yet not doing so b/c they didn't want to pay an absurd amount even after months of buying the original phone?

If I wanted to choose a company that offered coverage in my area WITHOUT any ETF's, I would not have had any cell phone in 3 of the last 4 cities that I lived in. Ah, what great competition. I had so many choices!

Once again - those supposedly "raped" by AT&T's terms do so voluntarily - they only apply to new customers. Those are the customers referenced at the top of this thread. The rest of the flock, under contract, joined voluntarily, with the full knowledge of the ETF / balloon payment, which did not increase within their contract. ETF's were increased with new "smart" phones, to buy down the phone and the rate plan. No one was forced to sign those agreements or buy those phones. Everyone in question is free to go.

I don't know where you live or shop, but I've yet to go anywhere in this country that I couldn't obtain a cell phone from a half-dozen companies without an ETF. Maybe you should ask here, or on HowardForums, before you make your next commitment.
said by Bill Neilson:

This site sees story after story of people begging someone else besides AT&T or Verizon to come into their area and offer something...anything....remotely decent....and they would jump

But, they can't...and they won't b/c cell phones or service is vital to their jobs, families, etc...and the need of it in general will override the absolutely atrocious service given to them.

The idea of competition being there but the thousands of people on here and elsewhere who cant find it...are just missing it somehow....I mean, huh? Do people not laugh out loud at the stupidity of that?

Competition exists all over the place, but in the populist DSLR forum, it is ignored and belittled. I grew up in the monopoly era, and watched it be torn down by the DOJ and Judge Greene, with a little help from the FCC and Congress. I would have preferred we kept the regulated [natural] monopoly, but that ship has sailed.

But of all the domains concerned here (Broadband, Landline, Cellphones/Wireless, Pay TV), cellphones are by far the winner in the deregulation derby. If you can't find multiple competitive options in your town, indeed, maybe we should laugh out loud at the stupidity, if we were as uncivil as Maxine Waters. Where in this country is anyone so limited?