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Crookshanks
join:2008-02-04
Binghamton, NY

1 recommendation

Crookshanks to thehondaboy

Member

to thehondaboy

Re: Maintenance

I don't understand this notion that they should be obligated to maintain an expensive/dying technology or compelled to spend billions of dollars to upgrade markets where they'll see less ROI than they do on wireless. Wireless is a growth market, landline is not. They could pour billions into the landline market but that will make precious little difference as far as uptake is concerned.

People around here don't seem to grasp the concept that they are not the typical broadband user. The vast majority of "normal" people I know are still using the broadband provider they first signed up for when it became available a decade ago. Many of them are on 1.5mbit/s DSL with grandfathered pricing plans that have never changed. They don't realize (or plain don't care) that faster offerings are available. Some of them even have access to faster DSL speeds for cheaper. They could activate the new plan with a two minute phone call, but they don't realize that, or are just too lazy to pick up the phone. When they do switch it's usually because the nice salesman from the cableco knocked on their door and touted the "advantages" of a triple play.

(Advantages in quote marks because it doesn't always make financial sense for someone to switch, particularly if they aren't heavy internet/phone users and/or get suckered into a big cable package they never end up watching.)
TheRogueX
join:2003-03-26
Springfield, MO

TheRogueX

Member

If people had access to higher speeds for not much more than they're paying now, they'd make the switch (especially if the advertising was done right).

You're right, they DON'T REALIZE that faster offerings are available, because the telco is purposefully trying to keep them ignorant.

Anyway, you're right. Big business shouldn't be 'obligated' to keep up with the times. But if they decide not to, they better get the hell out of the way so someone else can do it, and they can just die off. Problem is, THEY WON'T ALLOW THAT. They lobby against pretty much anyone and everyone who tries.
Crookshanks
join:2008-02-04
Binghamton, NY

Crookshanks

Member

I'm sorry it bothers you that people and organizations use our political system to lobby in their own interest. I dislike crony capitalism as much as the next guy, but you lost me when you started complaining about "lobbying". We all "lobby", this entire website is a lobby for our respective agendas.

Verizon isn't purposefully trying to keep people ignorant of faster offerings. Why would they do that? The plant and equipment is already paid for, but you think they are deliberately trying to keep people from using it?

Verizon doesn't heavily advertise or invest money into their wireline services, because wireless has a higher ROI, but they don't prohibit people from using it in the areas that already have it. Karl's crying wolf about Verizon and AT&T "hanging up" on DSL users is getting quite old. I'd like to hear a single case of someone who already had POTS and/or DSL getting "hung up" on.