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Fewer Verizon Phones Will Incur New $350 ETF
But is Verizon backpedaling, or just reshuffling paperwork?

Verizon recently doubled the early termination fee for their smartphones from $175 to $350 -- then engaged in a bit of a song and dance with the FCC, saying the hike was necessary because it "enables many more consumers, including those of more limited means, access to a range of exciting, state of the art broadband services and capabilities." Neither consumers or the FCC really bought Verizon's justification for the cash grab, but no further action has resulted at the FCC. Wireless Week notes that the list of phones that incur the new higher penalty has at least been reduced by ten or so handsets:

quote:
The Advanced Device List (pdf) filed with the FCC in mid-December contained a number of multimedia phones, including the Motorola Krave, the Samsung Rogue and five LG devices. Verizon’s current list is stripped of those devices. Verizon’s ETF fee for devices on the Advanced Device List is $350, twice that of the fee for devices not on the list.
Speculation seems to be that Verizon's responding to FCC pressure about the new higher ETF, but more likely this reshuffling is simply the result of Verizon's new wireless pricing plans, which resulted in the carrier reclassifying all phones into three categories: "simple feature," "3G Multimedia," and "3G smartphone." Despite calling Verizon's answers to their inquiry "unsatisfying" and "in some cases, troubling," there's no indication the FCC's going to take any action. There's also no indication Verizon gives much of a damn, given they just bumped their FiOS ETF to $360, despite the ever-decreasing cost of fiber installs.

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Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

How nice of Verizon....

They were really looking out for US when doubling the ETF
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: How nice of Verizon....

Why exactly would you expect them to look out for you? It's business. Don't like it, then don't buy it

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

Re: How nice of Verizon....

said by openbox9:

Why exactly would you expect them to look out for you? It's business. Don't like it, then don't buy it
I don't expect anything from them.

I am just responding to what they are telling me.

It's sweet they have me and other customers in mind when doubling the ETF.

Real sweet
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

BosstonesOwn

Member

Re: How nice of Verizon....

Theres an easy way to beat the ETF.

Any way I cancelled my droid and it's data plan, unfortunately my wife loves hers so I left it active. $40 less they will be getting from me. I'll put my droid on ebay for $200 and I broke even.

Im thinking of going to a prepaid provider and gsm phone. I am so tired of being screwed around by these companies for every little dime , especially in a bad economy.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to openbox9

Member

to openbox9
said by openbox9:

Why exactly would you expect them to look out for you? It's business. Don't like it, then don't buy it
That's not how business works. Capitalism has always been about competitive markets, and without it there's no incentive for a business to actually cater to its customers' wishes.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: How nice of Verizon....

Perhaps you didn't read my post. I merely wrote it's business and that if someone doesn't like the company with which they are doing business, the option exists for them to not do business with that company.
lesopp
join:2001-06-27
Land O Lakes, FL

lesopp to Bill Neilson

Member

to Bill Neilson
We need to divorce the phone manufactures from the service providers to spur competition and lower hardware prices. I would like to be able to go to Walmart, Target or wherever and buy a phone, then at my leisure decide which provider to use.

For the record I don't like it and I haven't bought it. In the same way the internet began and evolved based on standards so too should cellular.

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

Re: How nice of Verizon....

Competition seems to always bring us the lowest prices possible

More reason we see less and less of it

BCSman
@covad.net

BCSman

Anon

Reality bites

We have to accept that Verizon along with the majority of large corporations are not interested in the welfare or what is fair or right or moral. The bottom line ROI is all that matters and they will do whatever it takes to increase that ROI. Our politicans won't do anything because they would be biting the hand that feeds them so to speak. Welcome to the 21st century.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Reality bites

said by BCSman :

The bottom line ROI is all that matters and they will do whatever it takes to increase that ROI.
They are in business to make money - NOT better mankind. We can leave that claim to lying politicians.

»Fewer Verizon Phones Will Incur New $350 ETF [24] comments
Despite calling Verizon's answers to their inquiry "unsatisfying" and "in some cases, troubling," there's no indication the FCC's going to take any action.
And why should they? Verizon isn't a monopoly and the gov't should stay out of pricing decisions.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin

Member

Re: Reality bites

said by FFH5:

said by BCSman :

The bottom line ROI is all that matters and they will do whatever it takes to increase that ROI.
They are in business to make money - NOT better mankind. We can leave that claim to lying politicians.

»Fewer Verizon Phones Will Incur New $350 ETF [24] comments
Despite calling Verizon's answers to their inquiry "unsatisfying" and "in some cases, troubling," there's no indication the FCC's going to take any action.
And why should they? Verizon isn't a monopoly and the gov't should stay out of pricing decisions.
Because the government, empowered by the people, provides these corporations with various legal and physical protections that they couldn't otherwise afford by themselves. Businesses are allowed to operate in a capitalistic environment under the implicit assumption that thisl will benefit society more than any other system.
33358088 (banned)
join:2008-09-23

33358088 (banned)

Member

350? why not 1000000000000

then those pesky kids will never leave us

muhaha
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: 350? why not 1000000000000

Because they'll never join in the first place.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

1 edit

1 recommendation

pnh102

Premium Member

As Usual, FCC Blows It

The higher ETF is not the big problem here. Most people can easily dodge payment of an ETF by either buying a phone outright or by verifying that their service is acceptable before the cooling off period for a phone purchase expires (and as a result not having a need to cancel the service).

The FCC needs to instead look at the hidden fees that phone companies are allowed to tack onto bills. Unlike the ETF, none of these fees are disclosed to consumers ahead of time so a customer has no idea that their $40 a month plan is really a $50 a month plan. The costs of these fees should be included in the advertised price of the service.

I'd even dare claim that the costs of hidden fees are far higher than the ETFs that most people DON'T pay.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: As Usual, FCC Blows It

How about the FCC just ignore all of it aside from a few tersely worded press releases? Because I believe that's what we'll be getting. The use of unfees to jack up prices beyond the advertised price has been a problem for years -- but there's never any traction on the issue.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: As Usual, FCC Blows It

said by Karl Bode:

How about the FCC just ignore all of it aside from a few tersely worded press releases? Because I believe that's what we'll be getting. The use of unfees to jack up prices beyond the advertised price has been a problem for years -- but there's never any traction on the issue.
The funny part being that certain cell phone companies will simply deny these fees exist to begin with.

i1me2ao
Premium Member
join:2001-03-03
TEXAS

i1me2ao

Premium Member

Re: As Usual, FCC Blows It

call and ask and you get run arounds because no one will say..
tomz17
join:2004-01-09
Newark, NJ

tomz17 to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
Agreed...

I was recently looking to make some changes to my verizon wireless account, and I went through several customer service representatives (online and on the phone). They COULD NOT EVEN GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE of the taxes + fees. I believe the online chat representative even told me that "it will be on my bill."

IMHO, the part that really needs investigating here are the "fees". These are added to every bill to "help recover" costs that the carrier has to pay for providing you service. The fact that they are allowed to ADVERTISE service at one price, and then arbitrarily add fees onto your bill is completely wrong.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
Agreed. I'm out of contract on my Sprint plan at this point, so there's absolutely no possibility of me paying an ETF to switch carriers. However what I DO pay is about $7 in junk fees on my $30 +plus insurance plus TeleNav) plan. Which kinda sucks. I'd honestly rather the plan be advertised as $36.99 and billed that way as well, a la what MetroPCS is doing now.

podstolom
@cox.net

podstolom

Anon

High ETF's

I find the lack of moral terpitude shown by shameless American Corporate Capitalist Opportunism reprehensible, despicable and morally repugnant. Since the essentially unregulated private sector is the dominant economic force in this country, "they do it because they can".

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: High ETF's

said by podstolom :

I find the lack of moral terpitude shown by shameless American Corporate Capitalist Opportunism .
I applaud your observation that corporations show a complete lack of moral terpitude.

turpitude - »www.thefreedictionary.co ··· urpitude
a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin

Member

Re: High ETF's

said by FFH5:

said by podstolom :

I find the lack of moral terpitude shown by shameless American Corporate Capitalist Opportunism .
I applaud your observation that corporations show a complete lack of moral terpitude.

turpitude - »www.thefreedictionary.co ··· urpitude
a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
Ouch. You insulted his intelligence...by pointing out a misspelling. Ouch buddy. Ouch.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner

Premium Member

Again... It's the network my ass

I'd find it hard to believe in most metropolitan areas that Verizon is the only carrier with acceptable coverage.

People take it up the ass 'cause they wanna.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Going in the right direction

Smartphones are the only phones that are havily subsidized by Verizon. As such, they should be the only ones with higher ETFs. Oh, and netbooks, but who wants to buy a netbook on a 2-year contract with VZW MBB? Show of hands? Me either.