FCC Says Verizon's ETF Response is "Unsatisfying"
FCC commissioner Clyburn is none too pleased with Verizon right now. Big Red’s response to the inquiry about the new $350 early termination fee for advanced devices was sent off last week. The FCC had asked Verizon to explain why they increased the fee assessed to customers that leave their contracts early, pointing out that customers still had substantial cancellation charges even near the end of a contract. Verizon said it was only to recoup the costs of the more expensive phones they sell, and in the long run would keep prices low for people wishing to buy inexpensive handsets.
The FCC response was vaguely threatening, calling the Verizon response, “unsatisfying and, in some cases, troubling.” The commissioner also scolded Verizon for denying they charge customers who inadvertently launch their web browsers. Clyburn cautioned that ETFs were not to be used to cover the costs of doing business. The commissioner’s statement closes with a promise that, “I look forward to exploring this issue in greater depth with my colleagues in the New Year.” Now that’s how you threaten someone.

Comments
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LVmonkey
December 27, 2009 at 2:25pm
About 20 years ago maybe more the capitalistic mantra was "greed is good" and was thrown around like "thinking outside of the box" has been more recently. There was even a popular movie around that time about wall street that i think drove that home. Thinking it had a young tom cruise in it.
You think maybe the peeps that were 'up and coming' during the "greed is good" era are now in the top seats making big businesses decisions? Just a wondering thought...
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LVmonkey
December 27, 2009 at 2:25pm
About 20 years ago maybe more the capitalistic mantra was "greed is good" and was thrown around like "thinking outside of the box" has been more recently. There was even a popular movie around that time about wall street that i think drove that home. Thinking it had a young tom cruise in it.
You think maybe the peeps that were 'up and coming' during the "greed is good" era are now in the top seats making big businesses decisions? Just a wondering thought...
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MeTo
December 24, 2009 at 8:55am
Contract should be limited to 1 year Max. And if you can't afford to buy your phone "YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE PHONE" Hello!
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quickone
December 23, 2009 at 8:32pm
woohoo go FCC!! I have to wait another 4 months to get out of my
Nextel contract and they didn't pay shit for any of my phones. Once
Sprint bought them out they nosed dived faster then... then... I cannot
even think of anything. Those ETF are like a prison, you sign up for
what you think is a good deal then a couple months later you regret the
decision and are stuck with it for another 22 months.
Yes,
a contract is a contract, but it shouldn't consistently take >30
seconds or a minute to send a text message, or to not have service
downtown Anywhere. We are legally responsible for our end but there
seems to be little to none on theirs because "speeds and services are
not guaranteed" ETF lock you in so they can suck all they want
~~The difference between insanity and genius is merely succes~~
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Quakindude
December 23, 2009 at 7:44pm
There's a segment of society that believe they are owed something for very little, if any, work. This attitude is obviously beginning to permeate the upper echelons of business as politics has been affected in this manner for years.
And just like politics, we are left trying to choose who will fuck us over the least in the next few years we will have them.
Sad really. No other nation I've been to is as bad as my birth nation about this. In a thousand years when historians look back at the nation known as America, they will chuckle and say, "Ah yes, the ever lazier nation that ate itself from within for lack of the desire to get up and go farm for itself."
MaximumPC Moderator
***The views I express are my own and do not represent the views of MaximumPC Magazine or Future US.***
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snapple00
December 24, 2009 at 1:05pm
I agree. And not only that, I think almost all of these phone contracts have a 30 day period where you can quit the service with no penalty.
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