This is my curmudgeon day... They're resurfacing the roads at Woodhaven, so I had to come home.
... on the nicest weekend of the year.
Time to take care of business. I touched on this subject a few times in the past... Binding Arbitration, and extensive contracts that no one ever reads. This time, it's two of the biggest providers that have raised my hackles.
I finally got into reading some of my internet providers' contract. First of all... as to the speed (mbps). All speeds show an "up to" number... like 25, or 75, or 100 or more. No statement of what level of service you can expect to get, even though you pay for more. Two years ago, when my service slowed to a crawl, I complained... the service man came out @ $60 cost, and with a straight face, (after checking the speed), had me read the contract part that noted the "up to" clause. Incidentally, no other provider except for 3 mbps (copper) in the area.
Second part of this, is the price... despite all of the contract "musts", and "can'ts" that the customer is required to follow... there are also several clauses and reminders that the company can raise their prices at any time. (Which of course they have).
Binding arbitration too... but we've already discussed that "fairness doctrine".
BTW... I downloaded more of the contract "subcontracts" and other warnings and requirements, and put them into "Word Count"... and the read time went up to 2 hours and 14 minutes, and was categorized as "legal/technical".
I won't discuss the 2 star customer service.
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If you're bored, skip the next part... It has to do with the satellite provider. Last year I decided to cut the cord and go to just internet.
Called to cancel and found out that somehow, I had been in a two year contract... and it was going to cost. So I kept the service, as long as I was going to pay for it anyway. Now, looking up the details of the contract, if I renewed, it would be for another two years, and the cost to cancel would be $480. Written right into the contract...
Page 38 or something like that. Anyway, as the contract died, the monthly cost went up by $26/mo. plus tax.
Also... those few select words that say the service is not required to continue with the TV channels originally shown... AND that despite the contract price that one signs on for, prices may be increased at any time. DUH!
Add to this the binding arbitration clause, and the "not responsible for outages" clause... and you have...
Oh well... I only have a few more years to worry about this small stuff, but thought that you might enjoy learning just how monopolies work in the U.S..
Cheers...
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