 jhudson2Copyright Martyr
join:2000-11-07
San Marcos, CA | reply to Nightfall
Re: Whine, Bitch, Moan, Complain....
Actually there is one more option available to disgruntled, gouged and dissatified consumers not expressed in your like-it-or-lump-it philosophy: use the forces of government to make AT&T offer unbundled products at competitive rates.
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When a dog howls at the moon, we call it religion. When he barks at strangers, we call it patriotism. - Edward Abbey |
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 Combat ChuckToo Many CannibalsPremium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| Government intervention You can do that, yes. Just be sure that you know for sure that this is "monopoly abuse"; because if the price increase is actually because cable was under-priced (ala the dotcom collapse), you're probably going to get you're lower prices; but you're also probably are going to lose services and quality... and at worst you may be left trying to figure out why the antenna works better when you stand next to it, and the optimal placement of tin foil.
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The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries. -Churchill
[text was edited by author 2003-01-17 12:55:28] |
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 pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | reply to jhudson2
Re: Whine, Bitch, Moan, Complain.... said by jhudson2:
use the forces of government to make AT&T offer unbundled products at competitive rates.
But you have to keep this in mind. This is the same government that allows these mergers to take place in the first place. If there was a a movement to reintroduce some form of regulation to this industry, you can be quite sure that the companies involved would ensure that the rules are written to favor them. Therefore, government is not the answer.
As I said in a previous post, with the recent subscriber losses, this problem is going to eventually solve itself with the cable providers being forced to provide their products at a price which is more competitive than it is currently. The almighty dollar is a force that is way more powerful than the hands of government.
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DRM == Doesn't Read MP3s |
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 Go Chargers7Fa Shizzle Ma NizzlePremium
join:2002-09-24
Huntington Beach, CA | reply to jhudson2
said by jhudson2:
Actually there is one more option available to disgruntled, gouged and dissatified consumers not expressed in your like-it-or-lump-it philosophy: use the forces of government to make AT&T offer unbundled products at competitive rates.
Yep and take away benefits used my many people to get more and pay less. Forcing unbundling just raises rates for everyone.
As much as bundling sucks for people who choose not to do it, this isn't isolated to cable television. You want to band 3 for a Dollar ads at grocery stores? You want to band loyalty rebates at car dealerships? You want to band coupons...seeing as those without coupons are unfairly charged more for the exact same item. And while we're there let us band rebates as surely someone won't have the correct coupon or made the deadline for sending it in.
Well crap...that means we have to ban all price increases since the person who buys the day after the price increase isn't charged the same amount as person who bought the day before.
The freedom of choice runs both ways. If you buy more goods and services from a company, you get the discount...if you don't...then you don't. It's simple and most every industry does it...and we would be pissed when they didn't.
Some are just pissed because THEY choose not to get the bundle and thus pay more.
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Made in America; tested in Japan. |
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Go Chargers7Fa Shizzle Ma NizzlePremium
join:2002-09-24
Huntington Beach, CA | And ban not band. |
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