NightTrain
05-19-2014, 10:52 AM
http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/business/2014/05/18/att-buys-directv/9247795/?sf26322427=1
Not good for you and me as consumers. We all know what less competition means in the long run - paying more money for less.
I'm against the whole 'Bundling' thing because of rate creep. My first experience with it was painful, started out with about $275 / month for a couple of cell phones, internet and cable. And a landline for the kids because I don't buy 10 year olds a cell phone - they can barely keep themselves out of a mud puddle, let alone expensive electronics. I kept an eye on it for a few months, it fluctuated a little bit but was fairly close to what I'd agreed to.
Fast forward a couple of years without really paying attention, just pay the bill automatically because I'm a busy guy and I'm paying a whopping $450 to $500 per month! Yeah, you could have put a quarter in each of my nostrils.
Most of those services, as it turns out, were "introductory rates" that were not explained to me. In fact, I remember clearly asking the jackass behind the counter what my bill would be and if there were any hidden fees / taxes / increases that would occur, I was cheerily told absolutely not, sir! "This will be your bill."
I can understand that costs do go up, but not on this scale. This was pure greed on the part of the company that was taking advantage of me. The cell phones were primarily the excuse for the massive hike, because they changed my plan to one I didn't want (more expensive, coincidently) and it was done without my consent. The other services had gone up considerably too, but nothing like the cell phones.
Of course, there was the small print that made this fiscal fuckery legal for them.
So, now my landline is AT&T, with 2 cell phones. Another company has 2 more cell phones because I need this particular coverage when I go out into the boonies. DirecTV has my cable. Another company handles my internet. Now I'm riding at about $300 total.
However... looks like AT&T just got me partially bundled again. I'll be keeping an eye on them.
Not good for you and me as consumers. We all know what less competition means in the long run - paying more money for less.
I'm against the whole 'Bundling' thing because of rate creep. My first experience with it was painful, started out with about $275 / month for a couple of cell phones, internet and cable. And a landline for the kids because I don't buy 10 year olds a cell phone - they can barely keep themselves out of a mud puddle, let alone expensive electronics. I kept an eye on it for a few months, it fluctuated a little bit but was fairly close to what I'd agreed to.
Fast forward a couple of years without really paying attention, just pay the bill automatically because I'm a busy guy and I'm paying a whopping $450 to $500 per month! Yeah, you could have put a quarter in each of my nostrils.
Most of those services, as it turns out, were "introductory rates" that were not explained to me. In fact, I remember clearly asking the jackass behind the counter what my bill would be and if there were any hidden fees / taxes / increases that would occur, I was cheerily told absolutely not, sir! "This will be your bill."
I can understand that costs do go up, but not on this scale. This was pure greed on the part of the company that was taking advantage of me. The cell phones were primarily the excuse for the massive hike, because they changed my plan to one I didn't want (more expensive, coincidently) and it was done without my consent. The other services had gone up considerably too, but nothing like the cell phones.
Of course, there was the small print that made this fiscal fuckery legal for them.
So, now my landline is AT&T, with 2 cell phones. Another company has 2 more cell phones because I need this particular coverage when I go out into the boonies. DirecTV has my cable. Another company handles my internet. Now I'm riding at about $300 total.
However... looks like AT&T just got me partially bundled again. I'll be keeping an eye on them.