Dotted Line vs. Soul, Episode 1: The Telco-Man
Jun 9, 03:02
When did internet service become a contractual arrangment? In the days of dial-up one paid by the month, just as was done for other utilities. Right now I pay $27 a month for a 1.5 Mb ADSL connection, and should I want to disconnect my service, I am obligated to pay an early termination fee. Today I recieved a letter saying SBC wants me to renew my contract for another year, or they will bump my monthly payment up to $40. Which will happen on my ‘anniversary date’, whenever that is. The letter says it is coming up soon, but not when it actually is. I can’t remember. Bastards.
New users can get the same service I currently subscribe to for only $15 per month. Companies like SBC reward customers for choosing them in the short term, and then punish them for continuing their service past its original terms. Unless the user signs another contract, in which case they are locked into the price they were originally offered, regardless of current promotions and offers, and with the same early termination leash. Perhaps this is an attempt to boost brand-loyalty. It’s certainly helping with brand awareness: I have never been so sure of which companies I should try to avoid at any cost.
This is my message to SBC/telecom/wireless companies: As long as your kind require me to sign up for an extended period of service to recieve a decent price on services (and at the risk of ridiculous early-termination fees), I will continue to jump from one provider to another, as often as I can. I see little redeeming value in any sort of long-term customer relationship with your kind, and for that I must admit it is no surprise you are most-loathed-industry leaders. Congratulations: you deserve it.
Side note: A family member recently moved into a facility where he can recieve the medical attention he needs, leaving behind a recently aquired condo and DSL subscription. SBC says while it is an unfortunate circumstance, there is nothing they can do other than cancel the account in exchange for a fee of several hundred dollars.
During one of the snow storms this past winter I saw a man walk into a Dunkin Donuts and coax several handfuls of change from a pay phone using an ordinary popsicle stick. That man is my hero. I want to organize a league of volunteers, a small civillian army, to ransack every pay phone in Chicago. Or maybe storm SBC headquarters. I don’t know what we’d do there, other than cause quite a commotion and sneak off ninja-style from the ensuing scuffle just as the police arrive.
Meet us at the corner of Fifth and Pontiac.