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Antitrust Pressure Mounts For Wireless Providers
Over the past few weeks, the cellphone industry has been criticized on a variety of subjects, from distracted driving to handset exclusivity deals to everything else that's shady within the industry. Verizon's CEO has now responded, addressing what he claims are "myths" about standard practices. Reader DJRumpy points out that the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights has been calling for an investigation into whether competition is being stifled through many of these practices, "including possible text messaging price fixing and questionable roaming arrangements." Apparently the new antitrust chief is hitting resistance from within the government over the aggressive inquiries into this and other major industries. However, a small victory was achieved the other day when the National Telecommunications and Information Administration "told incumbent carriers that they'll have to prove their cases just like everyone else if they want to challenge broadband grant proposals from smaller players." There is also legislation in the works that would require states to impose a ban on text messaging while driving or lose a significant portion of their federal highway funding.
That'll teach you to charge me $40 for roaming last month when I never left the city, motherfuckers!
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
National defense, and immigration and border controls. These are the things that Washington ought to be concerned about.
Fixed that for you.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Did you have a snowball's chance in hell of negotiating?
Actually, yes, you did. You could have declined the service. Cell phones are not a life essential service. You'd be surprised to discover this but you actually can live without them. Failing that, you could always have gone prepaid. Or signed up for T-Mobile's "flexpay" contract-less option. You just want to use the Government to force a change to a private business model because you don't happen to like it.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Then don't sign a contract. Get a prepaid phone or sign up with T-Mobile's "flexpay" contract-less option.
See how easy that was?
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
That is what Americans had in mind a couple hundred years ago, but federalism certainly has lots of problems. One big problem is that states with good services subsidize states with lower taxes. Why bother funding education? Simply use low tax rates to draw workers from other, better-educated states, and get the benefits of an educated workforce for free. This triggers a national race to the bottom.