My Telephone providers are idiots

[k0ua]

I tried to explain to my kids what I didn't have when I was a kid. The list was almost endless, so I just told them I had a bicycle, a basketball, and baseball equipment.

And you probably had a lot more fun!

 

[JDgreen227]

Without reviewing the thread, I think the main complaint is paying the same as nearby people with good service, and getting poor service/lower level service in return.

Bruce

EXACTLY...the telecommunications companies are in the same league as the oil companies. And kOua...what good is a smartphone when your service is one crappy bar of 3G at most, and do you REALLY consider 1.51 mbps broadband? Telecommunications providers here in Michigan want to end landline service...easy for them to ask for....after screwing the consumers over with overpriced and crappy service, NOW they want to discontinue that.

 

[Wooddust]

I loathe Verizon. With all of my being I despise these people.

 

[k0ua]

EXACTLY...the telecommunications companies are in the same league as the oil companies. And kOua...what good is a smartphone when your service is one crappy bar of 3G at most, and do you REALLY consider 1.51 mbps broadband? Telecommunications providers here in Michigan want to end landline service...easy for them to ask for....after screwing the consumers over with overpriced and crappy service, NOW they want to discontinue that.

Crappy service I don't doubt, overpriced? What makes you think it is overpriced? and why do you think they want to end the landline services? Don't you think that if they could make a "living" selling you landline services they would? The reason they want to end landline services is because they are going broke providing them. There is NO money in it for them. If the services were "overpriced" don't you think there would be competitors trying to get their piece of the pie?

As for the lousy 3g cell service, what can I say? Sure another million plus dollar tower and equipment needs to be built nearer to you.. But some engineering and financial analysis team has looked at that and decided that the return on investment was not there at this time. As soon as the ROI is a viable option, and they will serve enough people, they will take it up with the budget committee and funds will be allocated for the new tower. It is as simple as that. They don't care about YOU JD, they care about serving a large number of people with the lowest investment to maximize profit to the stockholders.

You guys can jump up and down and cry all you like, and it won't change a single economic outcome. If rural telco's even survive,in the future it will not be because of voice services, it will be because of service to wireless entities and the growth of wireless communications. As wireless carriers continue to grow and invest in infastructure the "gaps" will eventually fill in. All I can say is be patient. (yeah easy for me to say with 15Meg broadband, 30 if I want it for an extra $10, and 4 bars on my 30 meg 4G cell service) I am only the messenger, shoot me if you please.

 

[murphy1244]

Crappy service I don't doubt, overpriced? What makes you think it is overpriced? and why do you think they want to end the landline services? Don't you think that if they could make a "living" selling you landline services they would? The reason they want to end landline services is because they are going broke providing them. There is NO money in it for them. If the services were "overpriced" don't you think there would be competitors trying to get their piece of the pie?

As for the lousy 3g cell service, what can I say? Sure another million plus dollar tower and equipment needs to be built nearer to you.. But some engineering and financial analysis team has looked at that and decided that the return on investment was not there at this time. As soon as the ROI is a viable option, and they will serve enough people, they will take it up with the budget committee and funds will be allocated for the new tower. It is as simple as that. They don't care about YOU JD, they care about serving a large number of people with the lowest investment to maximize profit to the stockholders.

You guys can jump up and down and cry all you like, and it won't change a single economic outcome. If rural telco's even survive,in the future it will not be because of voice services, it will be because of service to wireless entities and the growth of wireless communications. As wireless carriers continue to grow and invest in infastructure the "gaps" will eventually fill in. All I can say is be patient. (yeah easy for me to say with 15Meg broadband, 30 if I want it for an extra $10, and 4 bars on my 30 meg 4G cell service) I am only the messenger, shoot me if you please.

James, I don't know about your state but In Ohio I paid extra on my bill for services ifor rural and people who can't afford to pay their bill. Now that I'm rural I have to have a cable company to even get a landline. Bad luck I guess.

 

[aczlan]

And if you need better signal, buy yourself a signal booster: Amazon.com: zBoost ZB545 SOHO Dual-Band Cell Phone Signal Booster for Home and Office up to 2,500 sq. ft. of Coverage: Cell Phones & Accessories

Aaron Z

 

[k0ua]

James, I don't know about your state but In Ohio I paid extra on my bill for services ifor rural and people who can't afford to pay their bill. Now that I'm rural I have to have a cable company to even get a landline. Bad luck I guess.

Well urban subscribers have always subsidized the rural subscribers whether they knew it or not. It has been that way from day one. It has never made good financial sense from the telco's prospective to provide rural service. But when there was many urban subscribers and the government telling telco's that they had to provide universal service the telco's could afford to provide it. Now that there are few urban subscribers and fewer still every day, the rural subscribers who still want the service are going to be in trouble. It is a death spiral and rural subscribers are caught in the whirlpool and my prediction is they will go down the drain.

 

[murphy1244]

Well urban subscribers have always subsidized the rural subscribers whether they knew it or not. It has been that way from day one. It has never made good financial sense from the telco's prospective to provide rural service. But when there was many urban subscribers and the government telling telco's that they had to provide universal service the telco's could afford to provide it. Now that there are few urban subscribers and fewer still every day, the rural subscribers who still want the service are going to be in trouble. It is a death spiral and rural subscribers are caught in the whirlpool and my prediction is they will go down the drain.

Do they still charge that portion on a bill anymore?

 

[k0ua]

And if you need better signal, buy yourself a signal booster: Amazon.com: zBoost ZB545 SOHO Dual-Band Cell Phone Signal Booster for Home and Office up to 2,500 sq. ft. of Coverage: Cell Phones & Accessories

Aaron Z

yep, put an antenna on it if need be so you can get more than "one crappy bar of 3g service". Various brands of these have been for sale for many years. Build out your own infrastructure. Don't wait for the budget committee to decide to build out to you. Take matters in your own hands.

 

[k0ua]

Do they still charge that portion on a bill anymore?

I think so.