FCC Probes Verizon's Higher Early Termination Fees

[tommysch]

[citation][nom]Dirty Durden[/nom]Why is the Government getting involved in a private company? If you do not like their service, do not do buy their product, it's that simple. What gives big brother the right to tell a company what they can charge for their services? OK so next they will tell me & my small company what I can charge for my services. We need to take our country back from these fascist (fascist: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control).[/citation]

How exactly is unilaterally changing a contract that is already signed supposed to be fair. Ever heard about a thing called price fixing? Obviously not. They should be forced to remove hidden charges from their contract, if the phone cost 500$, sell it for 500 fucking dollars. Activation fees and system access fees are marketing gimmick, not a funding principle of capitalism.

Think a bit more before yelling fascism... Have you been arrested for political dissension yet?

 

[scryer_360]

Does Verizon operate anywhere else than the US? If so, do they have this fee there?

 

[Dirty Durden]

[citation][nom]o0RaidR0o[/nom]Its because all the big brothers are related! If the all practice in the same manner then there aren't any real choices that are equal to. A wally world phone is not a real option for most users. You're forgetting we live in a capitalist society where greed to its own downfall is the status-quo. Unless you are suffering from Anterograde amnesia then lets not forget our recent economic collapse.[/citation]

What are you talking about, do you even know? Yes there is greed in this world, but I would say big brother/government is the greediest of them all.
About the recent economic collapse, this was caused by our big brother/government telling banks to lend to people who cannot pay it back. Also greed is when a customer signs a contract for a phone, then turns around & cancels the contract & is able to keep the phone.
People like you will keep this country in economic decay; if companies cannot make a profit then we all will be unemployed.

 

[doomtomb]

After the FCC hears Verizon's lame excuse alibi, stop Verizon from charging this much. It is grossly exorbitant. What's stop Verizon from charging $500? $1000? Something's got to be done.

 

[Dirty Durden]

[citation][nom]TommySch[/nom]How exactly is unilaterally changing a contract that is already signed supposed to be fair. Ever heard about a thing called price fixing? Obviously not. They should be forced to remove hidden charges from their contract, if the phone cost 500$, sell it for 500 fucking dollars. Activation fees and system access fees are marketing gimmick, not a funding principle of capitalism. Think a bit more before yelling fascism... Have you been arrested for political dissension yet?[/citation]
If you so are F-ing smart why do you have to rely on the government to run to your side every time you get in trouble. Why can’t you figure it out for yourself, can you say boycott.
Yes if you keep sucking on the government tit & then you will be arrested for political dissension one day.
What about individual responsibility, yes you sign a contract & I bet my pay check, in that contract it says they can raise any fees, at any time, if they see fit. Do not sign a contract if you even think you may not be able to pay for it. Again do not run to the government every time you get in trouble, if we do as a people we will become slaves to that government

 

[Guest]

Verizon will try and justify the new, higher ETF to the FCC. Verizon is probably preparing for its new I-Phone, that is going to be a failure and is look to cash in on people backing out of there contracts in the future

 

[h0llow]

the answer is simple. everyone wants a blackberry or other pda for nothing extra a month when there would be no point in having it which thus went to the $30 data package. step two is the phone cost. they cost roughly $500+ for stores to get them in, mind you some are privately owned. Now the third step. What happens when a customer cancels within 6 months about on their contract? That person that privately owns a store not only looses a customer. They have to cough up money for that phone. so, if for example i had vzw and canceled in 4 months and it was a $599 blackberry, whoever is the person that owns the store just lost $599. it's compensation. While at the same time, i can see the customers point of view. that's the most logical reason i can think of. correct me if im wrong.

 

[maydaynomore]

[citation][nom]doomtomb[/nom]After the FCC hears Verizon's lame excuse alibi, stop Verizon from charging this much. It is grossly exorbitant. What's stop Verizon from charging $500? $1000? Something's got to be done.[/citation]

Whats to stop Verizon from charging $500 or $1000? You....idiot! Don't get their service if they charge too much.

 

[skit75]

ehh.... Someone has to pay for all these great commercials, right?

 

[skit75]

I guess somebody has to pay for all these entertaining commercials running in the expensive time slots, right?

 

[E7130]

I can understand the $350 ETF because how expensive most of those PDAs and smart-phones cost. However, the discount on the phones are only $200 so it would make more since to have the discount be the same as the ETF considering that is what the carrier is protecting. Secondly, the monthly deduction of the ETF should be increased to $14.58 in order to make any ma thematic sense.

Otherwise there is no legal reason for the ETF in the 23 month still be $120-150 dollars.

 

[rand_79]

But the phone that was 569$retail cost verizon what? 400?

I mean thats like saying a grocery store pays 2$/lb for apples..

those things are 66% gross profit.

 

[rand_79]

oh and dont get me started on mail in rebates.. GRRRR.

 

[igot1forya]

hehe he said "probes" hehe hehe

 

[gorehound]

my cell phone is used as a phone and that is all.
my computer does all my emails/surfing.

why would any of you want to sit there and stare at little screens surfung net,etc is beyond me.

we will have to see what your eyes do after you do this for some years.After 10 years of machinist finish grinding work (lookking closely at my work) definately screwed up my vision and i now wear bifocals.

 

[maestintaolius]

Well, I got 2 BB Tours for 49$ (one for me one for the wife) about 2-3 months ago (so I'm not even on the 350$ ETF plan). 299$ 2 for 1 original price with 100$ mail in rebate and an additional 100$ off from the "new every 2" deal they have and an additional 50$ off from a weekend sale. I love the phone and I love the fact I can still get my emails from the exchange server at work while the iPhone users were blocked by IT because they pinged the server too often (well, so the IT department said). I also like the fact I get good service at our production plants in the middle of nowhere (for cheap labor) while the ATT people get nothing.

That said, the choice is simple, if you don't like their business model, don't buy their service. I like the service Verizon has given me over the years and I had no intentions to cancel early so the ETF doesn't matter to me so I stay with them. If you think its too high, there are plenty of service providers already out there. The ETF conditions are pretty easy to find in the contracts you sign, and anyone that doesn't read those things thoroughly deserves what they get IMHO.

 

[JMcEntegart]

[citation][nom]Igot1forya[/nom]hehe he said "probes" hehe hehe[/citation]

She said "probes."

 

[OvrClkr]

what you guys don't know is that WE are ALL getting ripped off, first of all when a carrier makes a huge cell phone order, they order by the MILLIONS, so that just tells ya that they should be paying around 40/50 bucks MAX for a smartphone, that turns into billion's of dollars when you are making a 350-400$ return on your investment. Bottom line, celphones don't cost anything to major companies Live verizon and at&t, the contract is what makes the company the real money... This higher term fee is just crazy... I guess money talks and bullsh*t walks...

 

[enewmen]

[citation][nom]anamaniac[/nom]I refuse to get a phone on contract... I'm also not paying that damned much for a phone.$20 prepaid cell phone from Wal-Mart anyone?[/citation]
I actually don't mind paying a lot for a good phone. However, I will NEVER spend a lot for a 2 year service plan - no matter how good.
In Thailand for example, all contracts are low/monthly or pre-paid. With unlimited Internet access, 3G, and all.
If your phone breaks before finishing the 2 year contract? No cheap replacement phone for you.
That's just me thinking.

 

[jacobdrj]

I never understood why people ever sign contracts for phone service. Unless there is some amazing deal that can be spread out over ones whole family, I see no reason why one would do anything other than do pay-as-you-go. I used to use Net10 until Boost offered a better deal, switched, then got a better deal with Straight Talk. If I ever want to cancel, I just don't buy more time. And I can even sell my phone to recoup some of it's cost.