from the I am-not-dead-yet! dept
We’ve famous repeatedly that within the wake of the Dash T-Cell merger, wi-fi carriers immediately stopped trying to compete on price (precisely what deal critics had warned the Trump administration would occur while you cut back sector competitors).
Not too long ago, T-Cell imposed another $3-$5 per month price hike on most of its plans — together with prospects who believed they have been underneath a “value lock” assure due to a 7 12 months outdated promotion.
That 2017 promotion was fairly deceptive; it promised T-Cell contracted prospects that they might “preserve their value till THEY determine to alter it” and that “T-Cell won’t ever change the value you pay to your T-Cell One plan.” However there was an enormous catch: T-Cell didn’t actually imply that your value would by no means change, solely that T-Cell would pay your closing month-to-month invoice if the provider raised the value and impacted prospects determined to cancel.
A since deleted FAQ supposedly made that clear, however the unique announcement didn’t.
So along with T-Mobile being sued, the FCC has been getting flooded with complaints concerning the dodgy promotion after T-Cell’s latest value hike. Greater than 2000 aggravated prospects have flooded the company with complaints about how they’re very a lot alive, however their supposed value financial savings isn’t:
“I’m nonetheless alive and T-Cell is rising the value for service by $5 per line. How is that this a lifetime value lock?” one buyer in Connecticut requested the Federal Communications Fee in a grievance that we obtained via a public data request.
“I’m not lifeless but,” a buyer in New York wrote bluntly, saying that they had purchased a plan with a “assure for all times.”
Promising one factor and delivering one other is, in fact, a proud, longstanding telecom business custom (see: “unlimited data,” “up to” pace guarantees, or endless bullshit fees that jack up the price of your invoice).
The FCC declined to comment to Ars Technica as as to whether it was really conducting any kind of investigation into T-Cell’s habits. The FTC and FCC may each take motion right here; however whether or not anyone really will stays an open query, particularly given telecom and the present corrupt Supreme Courtroom’s joint efforts to declare all corporate oversight effectively illegal.
Telecoms (and the Republican and proper wing suppose tanks that routinely assist them) very a lot need regulators that exist because the coverage equal of an ornamental gourd. Extensions of the federal government that often placed on a hole efficiency on points like privateness and client welfare, however by no means really do something about the reason for any of the issues, most notably the regular drumbeat of competition-eroding consolidation for which shoppers and labor all the time pay the last word value.
Filed Underneath: cellular, consumers, fcc, mergers, price lock guarantee, promotions, telecom, wireless
Corporations: t-mobile
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