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ATT Raises Prices for Cable Modem Owners
MBCook writes: "It appears that AT&T broadband doesn't like it when customers own their own cable modem. According to this article at ZDNet, ATT will be 'changing' their prices for all users. If you own your own cable modem, your bill is going up $7. If you lease your cable modem, you end up paying the same ammount you were before. I guess AT&T likes to milk it's customers. If I don't have a long distance service with any phone company, I have to pay for the privilage of not depending on them. Now I'll have to pay for the privilage of not depending on AT&T for a modem?"
Been there, done that. Local public utility commission referred me to the cable company. That's it.
This was after a lightning induced surge did $500 of damage to my electronics because the cable company didn't bother to ground their wire. They refused to acknowledge culpability and the PUC didn't give a crap.
The thin veer of regulation doesn't count for anything when it's the monopoly pulling the strings behind the puppets. The cable "regulation" is significantly different than gas, power, or water since they are considered essential services (and yes, they are, far more so than internet).
And write this off as whining, but it's funny how it seems to be the same thing happening over and over again in any market where there is no choice for such services. And how things are markably different in the few markets where there is actual competition.