I just checked my current Verizon bill and there is a Surcharge line item called Administrative Charge. But it is for $1.23, not $1.99. Verizon claims, IMO, I am okay with the carriers passing along those expenses to its customers (when spelled on the bill), but they should not profit from them. It would seem AT&T is either milking its customers for additional profit, or is much less efficient than Verizon at "administrating" those expenses. I certainly am NOT saying Verizon is not profiting here. It just "appears" they are not profiting as much. Either way, when my monthly "plan" is $30 per month and my monthly bill is over $80 due to all the added fees, charges, taxes, surcharges, etc. when I never ever go over my limits, there's a racket going on.
We can't seem to decide what we want. Remember this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakup_of_the_Bell_System
Yeah, I remember. Yet companies keep merging and/or work together (conspire?) in ways that stifle competition or artificially keep prices high.
You mean the company needs to take some of it profits and re-invest in itself in order to be ready for the future. That sounds like standard business practice for any company - Business 101. As far as compliance with government regulations, well, I am always for less regulation. However, sadly, history has proven over and over again big business (like telecommunications, banking, insurance, etc.) will always put maximum profit above every thing else if given the opportunity and when not otherwise regulated.
Also, for example, the Ford Pinto. And I've read that Takata used similar logic (payouts from injuries and deaths << cost of fixing defects) in deciding not to redesign its airbags.
Yeah, at least with Takata, at least 3 of their executives are facing serious criminal charges. That's quite different from AT&T raising rates here.
AT&T Begins Testing Its Power In The Wake Of Merger Mania & The Death Of Net Neutrality June 29, 2018 https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...-wake-merger-mania-death-net-neutrality.shtml
@Bill_Bright - True. I was just riffing on your observation about profit vs everything else. Still, if we looked hard enough, I bet that we could find something almost as nasty about AT&T. Maybe something about 911 implementation. But then, I tend to see large corporations as malicious AI
"What’s behind AT&T’s $800 million ‘administrative fee’ increase?... In an emailed statement, AT&T described the charge as “a standard administrative fee across the wireless industry, which helps cover costs we incur for items like cell site maintenance and interconnection between carriers.” The company did not respond to questions about whether those costs have actually gone up or how it covered those costs prior to instituting the administrative fee... AT&T has likely not faced higher costs in these arenas, Piecyk [an analyst with brokerage firm BTIG.] said. “It’s hard to believe that interconnection costs have increased in the past 6 months enough to justify this fee increase,” the brokerage firm said. “In fact, wireless operators have been crediting lower interconnection costs when explaining why their cost of service was in decline... Instead, Piecyk reckons the higher fee is being used to offset the costs associated with building its network and its merger with Time Warner..." https://www.marketwatch.com/story/w...illion-administrative-fee-increase-2018-06-28
"Consumer Reports' new "What the Fee?!" program looks at the surprise add-ons that can jack up consumers' bills..." https://www.consumerreports.org/tv-service/cable-tv-sneaky-fees-what-the-fee/ "Consumer Reports Hammers Comcast Over Sneaky Fees Consumer Reports has launched a new PR campaign taking direct aim at Comcast's use of sneaky fees to covertly jack up subscriber bills. Like many ISPs and cable companies, Comcast has long made an art form out of falsely advertising a lower rate, then socking consumers with a higher bill thanks to various, misleading below the line fees. Like the company's sneaky broadcast TV fee, this usually involves taking an ordinary cost of business (in this case programming), then burying it below the line..." http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Consumer-Reports-Hammers-Comcast-Over-Sneaky-Fees-142085
Disgusting. When I pay my bill I should deduct a payment processing fee and my own administrative fees. It should be illegal to advertise a price that is only about 70% of what the actual bill will be. If anyone else did that they would be facing charges for fraud/deception.
AT&T steps up copyright enforcement, kicks customers off network https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...tomers-off-broadband-network-to-fight-piracy/
