I recently wrote about replacing a cable box with Apple
TV to save the monthly rental and program guide fees (Roku and other similar
devices work as well). I know I had gotten a notice a while ago that I could
purchase my own modem, but I didn’t pay much attention. But here’s how easy it
is. Best Buy (and I’m sure other places, but fewer, now that Radio Shack went
bust) sells various models for various prices, and the TWC representative at
the Henrietta store recommended the $100 Motorola. Since the monthly TWC rental
fee for the modem is $8, it pays for itself in about a year. Oh, and here’s the
best part – if you use TWC for your home phone, you don’t have to return their
box! Because there is no purchase alternative for the phone service, you keep that box,
you just don’t have to pay the rental fee anymore. Yeah, that makes sense… Now,
Charlie is really keen to ditch cable altogether. I’m not quite
ready for that leap, but I feel it is inevitable.
When Verizon Wireless recently stopped offering
subsidized phones with service contracts, they also “simplified” their plans.
Just out of curiosity, I went online to price my plan, and I found that the
monthly fee had dropped. But did Verizon Wireless inform me? Or better yet, did
they adjust the price automatically? Of course they did neither. I went in to
one of their stores to have a chat with a representative. He confirmed that I
could “switch” to the new plan, which was exactly the same as my old plan, but
cheaper. He said the company’s rationale for not lowering every customer’s
price automatically is that some customers might be upset if their plan were
changed without their consent. Seriously? Since when would customers be mad at
a rate decrease? If you’re a Verizon Wireless
customer, check the rates here and call or go in. Although if you don’t,
Verizon shareholders will be very happy.
Now, don’t get me started on AOL, which continues to
accept payment from people with AOL email accounts, even though they became
free years ago…
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