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FCC Critical of Verizon’s $350 Early Termination Fee
In: web resources
24 Dec 2009
Remember that outlandish Verizon $350 early termination fee (ETF) we wrote about last week? We knew the FCC was investigating the recently doubled charge, which is now a standard part of contracts for “Advanced Devices.” Today, however, new details are coming to light.
FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn released an official statement yesterday reprimanding Verizon Wireless for the “troubling” raise in ETF prices and other matters.
She finds Verizon’s claims of justification “unsatisfying” and a “tenuous rationale for ETFs.” She especially takes issue with the fact that ETF prices are higher in part to cover advertising and store costs. We couldn’t agree with her more.
Clyburn also addresses another troubling matter, calling Verizon out for deceptively charging small fees to customers who launch the mobile browser.
Clyburn concludes by asserting that the matter will continue to be investigated in 2010.
“These issues cannot be ignored. Wireless communications are an essential part of our lives, linking us to our places of business, our communities, and our loved ones. The bottom line is that wireless companies can truly earn their desired long-term commitments from consumers by focusing primarily on developing innovative products, maintaining affordable prices, and providing excellent customer service. I look forward to exploring this issue in greater depth with my colleagues in the New Year.”
We’re impressed by the FCC’s commitment to the consumer, and we hope to see Verizon respond by abandoning their hiked-up ETFs. You can read Clyburn’s full statement below.
[via ArsTechnica]
Tags: fcc, Mobile 2.0, verizon
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5 Responses to FCC Critical of Verizon’s $350 Early Termination Fee
marop
January 25th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Hillary and Obama hold no other positions than Junior senators at this time. They hold no other post or head any Democrat power seats. Peolosi was given the job as House Minority Leader because none of the White males wanted it. If they had thought they would get the majority back so soon, she would not have been let any where near that seat. Make no mistake, the Democratic Party is run by old White guys, Bill Clinton, Harry Reid, Howard Dean, Ted Kennedy to name a few.
mcramer19
February 12th, 2010 at 11:36 am
If the home number that your calling or being called from is your home then there is a way for that to be possible. If you have Verizon service for your home phone and your cell phone and you enroll in one bill then you can call the land-line and it will be considered "IN". But that's only with your home phone and if your enrolled. Other thing is they will take a little hunk of change of your bill if you do it.
Dusty
March 15th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Other than trying to put it in a different location, I have no answer. Mine even beeps when it jumps back and forth between 1x and the other, when it is laying on my bench next to my work station in the lab. It does seem to be weather dependent as it can lay there all day and only beep a couple of times and then on other days it beeps so much that I will move it over a little to a different location.
TAGGER
March 20th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
No. free market is in play. Call around to your other potential service providers and get their info. you can also call the Public utilities division and ask them this question directly or email them. I am sure ATT will have some way to wiggle out of it. tagger
hq3
March 21st, 2010 at 8:15 am
The FCC can govern the radio waves and television waves (and cable programming) because these forms of media can potentially violate some aspects of the freedom of speech. The first amendments give you the right to the freedom of speech, but like every right protected in the amendment, there are limits. If freedom of speech were absolute, then we wouldnt have defamation, slander and things of that nature because ANYTHING ANYONE said would be legal, which of course, is not the case.
This is essentially the same concept adopted with the FCC in television and radio. Since the freedom of speech is not absolute, there must be some governing body that monitors that right. Thus, the FCC regulates and monitors the use of radio and television in carrying out messages that fall under the freedom of speech. However, in some cases (Janet Jackson to name a well-known case among other TV and radio violations) that freedom is violated and must be dealt with, and in our country, the government is responsible for overlooking and punishing those types of situations.
So basically, the 1st amendment does state the right to freedom of speech as well as others, but these freedoms are not strict and absolute, there are boundaries and the FCC was formed to determine when that boundary has been crossed.