chaud
Serious Business
join:2004-07-09
Anderson, SC | reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M
I really wish I had the option of dropping Packet8. I would drop them over this if there was another VOIP provider around, and I wasn't in this contract thing. |
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Kathryn76
@comcast.net
|  reply to jalapen
If you look at the page for what the fcc is actually asking for in "recovery" costs -- I would rather pay that!!
.25 cents per phone, not $1.75 like Cingular is billing me for their "fake" charge!
Here is the FCC page for that.
»hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/a···04A7.pdf |
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Daviey
join:2003-02-26
Lakeland, FL | reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective May 1
I would rather pay a price increase than something that even remotely resembles a tax, especially one that is fake. A bone-headed move.
David |
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smj
join:2003-05-08
Fostoria, OH
1 edit | reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M
The thing that really gets me, like a previous poster mentioned.... when were they going to let us know?? I think a thirty day notice is customary for a price increase. |
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ib50MbSoon
Formerly TwoKDialup
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Coloma, MI | reply to jalapen
Isn't that just special!
So these rat bastards tie their customers to a one year contract and then raise the rates? Don't contracts work both ways? Oh well, hardly worth fighting for $9. Six months to go and I'm done with "Racket8" |
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SDHank8
join:2005-04-10
Escondido, CA
| (first a disclaimer: I don't use Packet8, I tried 'em a while back and didn't like 'em)
Now that's an interesting point. Often the wording of year long agreements is such that a rate change provides an "instant out". I know that many people have used this kind of thing to get out of cell phone contracts. Check the wording of your agreement carefully. The company *should not* be allowed to arbitrarily change the agreement without some sort of recourse for the consumer. That tends to violate contract law. |
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Packet 8
join:2005-01-21
Dayton, OH | Vonage already has the $1.50 charge
--
A Packet8 Reseller |
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SipSource
join:2005-02-01
| True, true... so it's really an Equal Opportunity Bogus Fee! 
And should you be using the "Packet 8" name if you're not an official representative of the company?
--
SipSource: VoIP Uptime Reports & User Reviews Win an SPA-2000! |
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bbqjohn
join:2002-12-01
Pemberville, OH
| reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M
This is disheartening but to be expected from all Voip companies eventually. Even if they do not become regulated, the companies will see a way to make more money and will not be able to resist it. I predict, even if I switch, that the next guy will do the same thing. There will be no hiding from it.
I don't like it but compared to my $60+ verizon phone bill this small fee is nothing. |
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Packet 8
join:2005-01-21
Dayton, OH
| reply to SipSource
Re: Isn't that just special!
said by SipSource  :True, true... so it's really an Equal Opportunity Bogus Fee! And should you be using the "Packet 8" name if you're not an official representative of the company? Sure why not...see my signature explains it all. It has been alright with mods aslong as I explain I am a reseller. 
--
A Packet8 Reseller |
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muttdog
join:2003-11-04
USA
| reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M
Wow I have to chime in on this.
For over a year I have been defending packet8, and continuing on with their improving service.
THis fee, TICKS me off. I will start looking elsewhere for service. The whole reason I choose VOIP is to avoid paying fees after fees after fees.
I dont care whether Vonage has it, or lingo has it. Verizon Local service has it too. My cell phone does too. Every POTS has it too. |
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Drex
Beer..It's What's For Dinner
Premium
join:2000-02-24
La Place, LA
 ·AT&T Southeast
| reply to Trimline
said by Trimline :BellSouth imposes a Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee of $2.97 per month to offset its costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by state and federal regulatory bodies and state regulatory orders affecting their broadband. BellSouth’s Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee is not a tax or charge imposed by a government entity. You know I've always thought of things like this as the cost of doing business.
Let's say I own a business and rent a place. Maybe I decide to pass along the cost of my rent to my paying customers, so I increase the price of my products.
I do NOT charge them an extra "fee" when they are at the checkout.
--
Star Wars Galaxies -- The best form of birth control on the market. |
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gatzdon
join:2002-10-25
Lake Zurich, IL
| said by Drex :said by Trimline :BellSouth imposes a Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee of $2.97 per month to offset its costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by state and federal regulatory bodies and state regulatory orders affecting their broadband. BellSouth’s Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee is not a tax or charge imposed by a government entity. You know I've always thought of things like this as the cost of doing business. Let's say I own a business and rent a place. Maybe I decide to pass along the cost of my rent to my paying customers, so I increase the price of my products. I do NOT charge them an extra "fee" when they are at the checkout. Now that would be hilarious, imagine paying your bill at a restaurant and they decide to itemize costs associated with "Health Department Compliance", "Waiter's Unemployment Insurance", "Union Fees", etc...
Heck, I don't buy cigarettes, but I didn't think when you buy cigarettes, they break out and itemize all the state, county, and federal taxes. And there are even stamps to prove they were paid. Same for gasoline. And that would be a more relevant situation to itemize.
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$100 placed at 7 percent interest compounded quarterlyfor 200 years will increase to more than $100,000,000 --by which time it will be worth nothing.- Lazarus Long |
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fire100
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Twin Lake, MI
clubs:
| reply to jalapen
While $1.50 is not much too wine about, it does deceive from the advertised price. If it was the federal government requiring it, I would not have a problem with it. But if it is just a way to add hidden fees, I am going to be upset.
Why not just be truthful and all the rates by $1.50, this is what XM did, they raised their price from $9.99 to $12.95. While I was not happy with this raise, I am still paying it, because all services go up over time. At least they did not add a hidden fee.
--
Weather Forums |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
3 edits | quote:
Why not just be truthful and all the rates by $1.50
It's like steroids in baseball.
They think if they don't start using it, they'll be at a competitive disadvantage. |
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IanR
join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ
| reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective May 1
While any new fee is annoying I have the following thoughts
o Other providers are also beginning to charge a similar fee
o It does appear that VoIP companies are coming under closer gvt/quasi gvt scrutiny and such scrutiny means higher costs to them
o I am not going to switch service over a small fee, it's too much like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. I will wait and see. Unfortunately I believe such a charge will become standard as quasi regulation becomes the norm |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | By even calling it a "fee", one is buying into the nonsense....
"Fees" are government mandated. This is a price-hike. |
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te100
join:2004-12-17
Daleville, AL
 ·VoicePulse
| reply to smj
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M
TOS: RATE CHANGES. 8x8 may change the prices for the Services and toll charges from time to time. 8x8 may decrease prices without any advance notice. In the event of a change in prices or toll charges, 8x8 will post such changed rates to the web site currently located at »www.packet8.net.
There is nothing there as of yet about any new fees> |
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JE
Can I Taste It? Mmmm
Premium
join:2000-12-15
Brooklyn, NY |  reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective May 1
Yeha I saw it on my deactivated account "bill" on the website. Very shocked to see it.
JE |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| reply to jalapen
Re: [Packet8] New $1.50 Regulatory Fee effective M
They are staying competitive ... other carriers charge it, so they view that fee as an incidental, not to be in folks' evaluation criteria of different carriers. P8 remains a great value for its happy customers.
WARNING: wording says "all Packet8 phone numbers" which means the fee applies even to virtual phone numbers...it's not per account, or per device, it's per phone number.
This goofy quasi-official looking fee business started when Sprint (the long distance carrier) started imposing their "real estate tax recovery fee" supposedly to help them offset their real estate taxes for all their locations around the country. Then AT&T chimed in with their in-state connection fee. We now feel the current results.
As pricing pressure continues, while the companies get bigger and the investors want to see some profits, we are likely to see additional "below the line" surcharges. |
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