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This is a sub-selection from Whatever AT&T

tshirt
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join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

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Re: Whatever AT&T

said by IPPlanMan:

Guess they want us to believe the costs of barcode scans have gone up.

Just because they make what you see happen "as simple as waving a magic wand" doesn't mean there are lots of processes and expense to reach that level of automation.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Ahhh... I see. So it's a slush fund for all that.

This doesn't spin very well.
brad152
join:2006-07-27
Chicago, IL

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these "automated" costs are long paid for. I've done tech for both companies and trust me they're using the same activation system on the back end they've been using for 10+ years. Nothing is different except for the fact that they're really good at padding CEO raises and bonus with these bogus fees.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

said by brad152:

these "automated" costs are long paid for.

So YOU are the accountant? Then you know they never give employees a raise, their fuel still costs $0.28 a gallon, vehicles last forever, computers from 1973 work just fine, and so on.
No doubt some of that money goes to the CEO too, but there are actual expenses too. or would you rather they claim the service is worth another $1 a month rather than charging the customers that keep activating new devices $4.
It's all one big leaky bucket, this is about which customers put in more to keep it full.
tshirt

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said by IPPlanMan:

So it's a slush fund for all that.

it might be, you aren't a customer anyway so what does it matter.
brad152
join:2006-07-27
Chicago, IL

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The operating expenses would have to come out of the monthly revenue, especially considering they're pretty much no longer doing subsides on the phones.

You can be a sheep all you want, but with the amount of revenue that AT&T and Verizon see yearly, it's customer rape pure and simple.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

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I am a customer... So there.

"What difference does it make anyway" (and it variants) is becoming a pretty popular phrase these days.
IPPlanMan

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I see... so nothing AT&T does is actually designed to save me as a customer money. I get it now.

These "below the line charges" enable them to hit their marketing price points on the monthly plans.

$40? This is never going down. Never. A few more years, it'll be $50... and we'll hear the same excuses.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

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said by brad152:

You can be a sheep all you want, but with the amount of revenue that AT&T and Verizon see yearly, it's customer rape pure and simple.

I choose "pay as you go" and regulate costs by not using much.
I'm also will to walk away (other carrier or none at all)
so who's is the sheep?

Again this is not RAPE (a violent crime), it's a companies charging what the market will bear for a (apparently) highly desirable service. You can say "NO!" and walk away.
tshirt

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said by IPPlanMan:

I see... so nothing AT&T does is actually designed to save me as a customer money. I get it now.

+1
said by IPPlanMan:

These "below the line charges" enable them to hit their marketing price points on the monthly plans.

So being right there in DC you never bothered to complain directly to those that CAN change the laws that govern this?
Or were you not effective?
because I agree that un-named monthly fees should go on the ads and one time(or in this case "EACH TIME") fees should be clearly disclosed, and this seems to be loud and clear.

54761437 (banned)
join:2013-01-18
Durham, NC

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Yes, it's a favorite of Hillary Clinton, too!

YOSH
@165.27.246.x

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A lot of these companies are dumping lots of money into their BSS/OSS systems.
brad152
join:2006-07-27
Chicago, IL

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I said no years ago, I've been with T-Mobile since 2006, even while working for "the other guys" still chose to give my money to the one that was more customer friendly.

My plan rocks, I have no hidden fees, no overages, free international data and all for less than what I'd pay for prepaid for a comparable plan that's US only.
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This is a sub-selection from Whatever AT&T