A member of the FCC's five-person commission, Mignon Clyburn, has sent out a letter today in response to
Verizon's earlier reply regarding questions surrounding its gargantuan $350 early termination fee on so-called "advanced devices," and in brief, it looks like this issue is far from tied off. Her choicest quote is that she found Verizon's answers "unsatisfying and, in some cases, troubling," noting that customers are already paying "high" monthly fees and suggesting that the public interest isn't being served when someone gets slammed with a three-digit cancellation charge mid-contract. She also straight-up calls the company out on its claim that customers aren't being inadvertently charged when the press the web button on their phone without an appropriate plan, saying that "press reports and consumer complaints strongly suggest otherwise." Commissioner Clyburn's conclusion? "I look forward to exploring this issue in greater depth with my colleagues in the New Year."
Dum dum dummmmm. Follow the break for the full text of the letter.
[Thanks, Daniel P.]
posted December 23rd 2009 5:30PM
Verizon's subsidy model is actually quite reasonable when you take into consideration that a one-year contract is only +$70 over the two-year pricing. I would honestly eat the extra $70 and go one-year. Did you take a look at Sprint device pricing? Their two-year pricing is high to begin with in most cases, and they only give a paltry $75 off the unsubsidized price for a one-year! THAT is unreasonable.
They are probably going to use the $350 ETF to build their 4G network, so that they can keep their "Map For That" Campagin going.
I can see it now " Verzion has more 4G coverage than AT&T has 3G, not to mention more 3G!"
@cherryboom Hmmm, I can honestly say that Google is WAY more powerful than Apple.
What would Apple do if Google created a Code that will display:
SORRY , YOU ARE USING A MAC THEREFORE YOU CANT USE ANY GOOGLE SERVICES.
No Google, no maps, no YouTube, etc..... I am sure that Bing won't come to help.. and Yahoo... well... right... ok
Who needs to worry about ETF's? Just return the phone after 29 days, wait a day or two and try the next greatest device! I've been "reviewing smartphones since the Pre came out (btw, nice device, crappy signal). I feel if they are going to hold out on us by locking down our phones, not providing us with the full capabilities the phones were designed with, I'll do the same. Besides, it feels good to be a gangsta!
@NeoJew
shoot, not me. i'm gonna have to pat obama on the back on this one, because regardless of what side of the political isle you're from you gotta love this new FCC. 1) they dont want people ripping you off w/ through the roof ETF fees 2) their stance on net neutreuality is actually on the side of people and not big business 3) they were quik to admit that after the last 3 or 8 years (or whatever) that cable card has been out its been nothing more than a complete and utter failure.
The only thing that could make me fall more in love w/ them is the FCC looking into the big 4 carriers jacking up prices for SMS fees at the same time, when it costs them literally nothing. Well, i can dream right?
Anyways, i think the only people that wouldn't be a fan of the fcc right now would be fatcats on wallstreet. and i could give two shits about them to be honest.
I think the FCC is just bored since Stern and Bubba went to Satellite. Go get 'em govm't! Can't comment to much, gotta review my Verizon bill again and call them to fix it. Anybody else being charged $1.49 for some voice BS?
@(Unverified)
Well, the iPhone clearly fails when it comes to Android. I don't think we'll be able to check that criterion for a while.
Besides, what makes you think that having a check mark next to a feature makes a phone special? What's special is not what the phone can do, but how well it does it. Take internet browsing - technically any WAP-enabled phone can browse the internet, but I think you'd agree that the iPhone does it much better.
There is nothing I despise more than people who judge things by making "can it do X" checklists. "Do" is a very flexible term. Take the Pre - technically, it has a keyboard. However, it's such a worthless keyboard that anybody whose fingers and thumbs have grown at all since they were 7 years old won't be able to use it.
If they don't want the phone back because it is no longer new then fine, but I ain't paying that ETF. I've since gone to TMO and kept my number on a prepay. Good thing my $15. phone (with $28.30 of free minutes) has call screening. Those pesky collections people.
The $350 eft is insane , $200 eft was fair enough
@TikiTeko While Google could probably claim that their services are not available on the Mac... A) they wouldn't and B) I'm sure its some sort of lawsuit waiting to happen. One of the iPhone's main apps is Google Maps... and since Google developed Android it could theoretically be a way of eliminating the competition (not entirely, but hurt them at the least)
LOL, Verizon just got served!
Wow. I can't remember the last time I was cheering the FCC on their quest to do... well anything. Come to think of it, I don't think I've EVER been in support of anything the FCC has ever done.
Wow.... well... um... good job.
Fillet 'em, Mignon!
LOL @Verizon, the Devil's Favorite Telecom!
VERIZON IS GONNA GET GET "ANALLY RAPED" BY THE FCC!!
THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I WILL SUPPORT SOMEONE/THING BEING
"ANALLY RAPED"
because if its not verizon than its bad :(
$350 ETF? Wow... you guys are on easy street in the USA. Come to Canada, expect $600-$800 up North. Life's a bitch up here.
the accidental web / data usage fees are RIDICULOUS. on the dumbphones, they make it incredibly simple to accidentally press one of these buttons and get an immediate $1.99 charge.
the fact that they make a profit from that horrible marketing scheme is just pure evil
@Wesscoast
Think the most apps ive ever used is 7. Long as i have those 7 apps available on a given platform, im happy.
What makes OSX special for me is the browser but Android is just as good, if not better being a Google kid.
Bizarrely im currently using a E71 as it does everything i need and has kboard which i love, but if Apple or Google brought out a slider with a kboard worthy of my time, i would sign up in heartbeat.
A guy buying a phone outright shouldn't have a the same fees as a guy buying a $600 phone for $199. There should be a minimum no-contract price for the plan, and then the contract plans that include phone re-payment.
Maybe cell phone plans should be more like car leases. Also why do plans still have minute allowances? If cable companies can give me unlimited phone at home for only $30 why can't the cell companies give me an unlimited plan for $40, I'm being generous? And If I have an unlimited data plan, why do I still have to buy a text plan, isn't text data?
@shanbutler GTFO!
I love this. If Verizon had just shut up and did as they were told, they would have been fine. Now, because they had to speak out against this, they are going to likely see more government interest in the cell phone industry. Let's see how they enjoy seeing those texting prices drop to a more reasonable level.
but... but... Verizon can do no wrong. I mean they're the only carrier that everybody loves and the droid fanboys love. :P
@pika2000 You're being stupid again.
I hope the FCC actually means it and are relelentless about it.