Utility shenanigans

[ultrarunner]

Had the same problem with remote read... had everything turned off and got a bill for $450...

Next month it was corrected... I was working out of the country at the time.

So how is it possible to get the wrong reading with remote read? Isn't this the super accurate smart meter thing?

 

[Taylortractornut]

My problem was really with the guy that was too lazy to walk 50 feet to the shop meter. I have 3 phase in my shop. Our PC doesnt put remote meters on 3phase right now. The man knew he was guestimating. He still wont look at me if Im here during a reading claims I almost got him fired. I tell him he almost got him fired as his sheets are marked whats remote whats not. He also claimed that I shouldnt have worried about 40 to 70 bucks extra I was paying per month.

 

[Ken]

The account used 19 kwh. You want me to be ok with being charged $346 for this? Our alledged kwh cost is about 14 cents. So in effect, my actual usage cost came to $2.66. Fees added another $37. Demand came to over $300 on an account that has never exceeded 1800kwh per month and this only happens for 2 months. The rest of the time. The account uses form 0 to 40 kwh. Why should anyone be charged on that one off, 15 minute time frame as opposed to a cost profile based on a longer assessment so it can go down in a more reasonable manner. It establishes in 15 minutes but takes almost 6 months to get down to half that cost. Costs born for overhead is one thing, but this feels like outright abusive charging as a result of a basic monopolistic mindset. Read my original post. Did I for one second question the feasibility of such a charge type? I didn't post this to get a lecture on business economics. I posted this to see where else in the country this was happening to the extent its happening here.

30 years ago worked for a gas transmission company. And the problem was how to supply a area that didn't want a compressor station any where near it's location. also didn't want a pipe line to the area. pumping station was to noisy and it stinks. the pipe line distroys the land where it is put and scenic beauty was disturbed. Also no oil refiner's they also stank. then switched to a elec. power company the same area did not want any power lines overhead and none buried same reason as gas lines. Then complained at the price of there utilities. Today this same area's doesn't want off shore wind mill power destroys the beauty of the ocean view. Wonder why the cost of utilities is high.
ken

 

[dmccarty]

There are a couple of local companies hiring scads of people for "Smart Grid" projects. The only thing I can see that is smart about it is that the meters will be metering in real time, like now but sending the information back to a central point.

They make it sounds like something I care about and I really don't except for two things. One it sounds like the power company will be able to start billing residential customers at peak rates. Oh, they will be good enough to "contact" me somehow to tell me to lower my consumption during those peaks. :confused2:

The other issue with the "smart grid" is security. And how good will their security be? It sounds like the company and remotely turn off the meter if they choose. Or if someone else hacks into their system and chooses. And their is the risk of the power consumption reading from the meter being "adjusted" maliciously.

Still trying to figure out how a smart meter is smart for me. I see nothing but badness.

Phones. I remember the phone monopoly. Deregulation of the phones and airlines has allowed huge savings for consumers. You had to RENT a phone from Ma at $5 a month. A phone that you had paid for in a year. I worked at Radio Shack when people could finally buy their own phones and people where flooding the store getting their own equipment so they could save money.

Now I was not paying the phone bill back then but my cell phone, land line phone, and DSL service is less than what I was paying for simple long distance and land line 20 years ago. Deregulation and competition has driven down prices and increase function.

If Ma was still a monopoly I really wonder if we would have cell phones much less smart phones.

Later,
Dan

 

[dave1949]

Now I was not paying the phone bill back then but my cell phone, land line phone, and DSL service is less than what I was paying for simple long distance and land line 20 years ago. Deregulation and competition has driven down prices and increase function.

If Ma was still a monopoly I really wonder if we would have cell phones much less smart phones.

Later,
Dan

There isn't much incentive for risk taking and innovation in a monopoly. I doubt we would have wonder phones without breaking up AT&T and allowing third party line access as a starting point for that process. Yep, I remember when it was finally legal to own your phone.

The airlines have been deregulated, but there is still something wrong with that industry. It could be that by their very nature, airport numbers and capacities limit true competition. The airlines are able to reduce service levels across the board from carrier to carrier with very little punishment by the market. The latest customer-friendly charge I read about is you now pay extra to sit in an exit row seat and enjoy actual leg room.
Dave.

 

[robb01]

Ive had some crazy experiences too, but they usually get it cleared up quickly

 

[tallyho8]

Deregulation has also allowed people to get less expensive, inferior equipment. We had a black dial desk phone for 20 years with no problems. Most of our cell phones break in a couple of years.

Even today with all our modern technology, two people talking on cell phones do not have as crisp and clear sound as we had on our old phone.

Sure, there are exceptions, but when someone phones me on my landline and i get a lot of static and they are hard to understand, I know immediately that they are on a cellphone.

 

[forgeblast]

I was getting a bill that was estimated but i told them i wanted someone to come out and check our meter since we were putting in led's and insulation and doors etc. They still some out, i would rather have the exact number then an estimate.

 

[dmccarty]

The airlines have been deregulated, but there is still something wrong with that industry. It could be that by their very nature, airport numbers and capacities limit true competition. The airlines are able to reduce service levels across the board from carrier to carrier with very little punishment by the market. The latest customer-friendly charge I read about is you now pay extra to sit in an exit row seat and enjoy actual leg room.
Dave.

People get what they pay for. Plane fares used to be very expensive. Now they are dirt cheap. I just heard of flights to NYC for under $75. I can't drive to NYC for $75.

You want a full dinner/lunch/breakfast then you have to pay for it. If you want the cheapest fare to get you from A to B with a bag of chips you pay less.

If you want more leg room pay for first class.

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

Deregulation has also allowed people to get less expensive, inferior equipment. We had a black dial desk phone for 20 years with no problems. Most of our cell phones break in a couple of years.

Even today with all our modern technology, two people talking on cell phones do not have as crisp and clear sound as we had on our old phone.

Sure, there are exceptions, but when someone phones me on my landline and i get a lot of static and they are hard to understand, I know immediately that they are on a cellphone.

It is called choice. People decided to buy a cheap phone. Their choice compared to paying $5 a month year after year after year for a phone that did not cost $100.

When I worked at Radio Shack we had cheap POS phones for $19.95 and really good stuff that was about $75. Many people would buy the $20 phone because it was a $20 phone. Their choice. After working at the store for a while I noticed that the $20 phone would almost certainly fail. And it would fail just after 90 days were up. We had a shelf full of the things going to and from service. I would tell people to NOT buy the phone. That chances are it would break after the warranty was up and it was not worth paying.

They still would buy the $20 one.

The land line phone we have was certainly not expensive and I have had it for over 20 years. Ma would have charged me $1,200 for the that phone over the years. Thank you, no.

Our cell phones work fine. They usually age out technically though my wife has broken one or two. But if she drops it on a concrete floor a couple of times I can't blame the phone. Cell connection quality is excellent and so far this month I am over 1100 minutes. Our cell quality is better than the land line because of the DSL.

Taking away the phone monopoly was a great.

Later,
Dan