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This is a sub-selection from no biggy
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina to NormanS

Member

to NormanS

Re: no biggy

Why would anyone defend designer fees with the sole purpose to simply yank more money from consumer wallets? Rather than offer what appears to be defended as a choice, periodic equipment upgrades that are necessary to maintain customer satisfaction should be part of the service. The choice is a sleazy tactic almost worthy of a fat, cigar-smoking, used car salesman claiming every car he sells was owned by a grandma who only drove it to church on Sunday.

If this were truly a competitive environment rather than a bunch of monopolist cheats, they would have to own the upkeep on the equipment or consumers would jump to someone else that works harder to keep them happy. Who would keep paying for a service that uses outdated equipment that freezes all the time or it just doesn't work all the time?

Regarding a wire maintenance plan, that's just an an accountant's scheme supported by devious management. I'm lost as to why everyone doesn't recognize it as such and dismayed that anyone would even defend it as a positive. It's almost like selling air insurance that seeks to guarantee that you never run out of enough air to breath.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS

MVM

said by rradina:

Why would anyone defend designer fees with the sole purpose to simply yank more money from consumer wallets?

In response to your comments about:
quote:
Regarding your home's cable wiring ...

If you don't know coax from copper from monofilament nylon, how can you know you won't fix a problem by tying the loose CAT3 end to the loose RG-59 end with a fisherman's knot?

And if you don't want to pay the fee, be prepared to pay the telco, MSO, or electrician of your choice to play with the premises wiring to find the problem.

Rather than offer what appears to be defended as a choice, periodic equipment upgrades that are necessary to maintain customer satisfaction should be part of the service.

OIC. Either you weren't addressing ignorance of wiring, despite your words, or you were comparing grapes (premises wiring) to gravel (equipment maintenance).

When Ma Bell was broken apart in 1984, I told PacBell, "No!" in response to their offering of a wire maintenance fee, but I was an electronic technician with HP. My parents said, "Yes", because Dad was just a grocery head clerk; I don't think he ever went under the house for anything.

I've never paid an equipment maintenance fee, either; but that isn't really comparable to a wiring maintenance fee.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

The original post was about equipment maintenance. I compared it to the value of a wire maintenance plan which is nothing more than a bunch of cheats trying to separate folks from their money.

Regarding grapes and gravel, I have always maintained all of this is a scheme from people who like to cheat. An honest person would take care of minor problems as customer service and when there are major problems, give the customer a very reasonable price to get them back in service -- regardless of whether that's wiring or equipment. When people get charged $300 for a converter box after a fire, they smell a rat. There's absolutely no discontinuity in anything I've said.

Unless geography prevents it, hopefully you told your dad that you would take care of any wiring problems since it's unlikely he'd ever call.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

NormanS

MVM

said by rradina:

The original post was about equipment maintenance. I compared it to the value of a wire maintenance plan which is nothing more than a bunch of cheats trying to separate folks from their money.

Wire maintenance was a result of the breakup of Ma Bell. Part of the consent decree. The next time you see Judge Green, you should thank him profusely for that. As a result of his decision, the demarc was the end of RBOC responsibility for the wiring.

Regarding grapes and gravel, I have always maintained all of this is a scheme from people who like to cheat.

I don't disagree on the equipment fee; if the company owns the equipment, they should take care of it. If the customer owns the equipment, the customer should take care of it.

Unless geography prevents it, hopefully you told your dad that you would take care of any wiring problems since it's unlikely he'd ever call.

How quickly could you drop everything and traverse 156 miles for a service call? Geography was definitely a factor.

And, yes, there was a discontinuity in your statement.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

Help me understand where I've deviated from claiming all these schemes are the same?

The history of how wire maintenance came into existence doesn't change the fact that it's just a bunch of cheats trying to game the system. I'm OK if the RBOCs don't own the wiring in my house and they expect me to maintain it but to offer me a protection plan -- even for a few bucks a month -- is absolutely taking advantage of fear generated from technological ignorance. Plumbing in homes is far and away more likely to fail and just as expensive (if not more) as a service call to repair telephone wiring. I suppose someone sells a plumbing protection plan too but I've never heard of one and folks don't seem to bat an eye paying $200 for the Roto Rooter guy to fix their drains.

Just the simple fact that someone thought of such a plan for an infinitely more reliable product demonstrates the quality of their character and the folks at TW who are tinkering with the idea of this new, optional fee are of the same ilk.
This is a sub-selection from no biggy