for those that have RTFA, they would see that they arnt blocking access to usenet, just killing off their usenet service. The artical also says that the message which came up when users try access suggest using a third party usenet provider.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mobile phone service was the second-lowest ranked industry -- beating only cable providers among the 40 rated -- in the University of Michigan's newest customer satisfaction index.
And there's more: mobile companies were the No. 2 sector in complaints last year to Better Business Bureaus, dropping from first place in 2002. Only auto dealers did worse.
"The industry claims that people love their cell phones and they're very happy with the service," said Carl Wood, a commissioner on the California Public Utilities commission who fought the industry for four years to establish state wireless regulatory power. "That's half right."
Consumers complain of frequently dropped calls, lousy customer service and exorbitant penalties for exiting a contract. Then there are the fees -- Verizon Wireless plans to collectively charge customers more than $173 million a year in fees for number portability alone.
The complaints range from mundane to dramatic.
After Julie McMurry's husband died last summer, Verizon Wireless told the Enumclaw, Washington, woman that she would have to pay an early termination fee on his cell phone contract. "I said, 'This isn't an arbitrary thing, I'd be glad to fax you a copy of the death certificate. The man's dead."'
The Verizon rep said McMurry could either pay the fee or give the phone to another family member.
She called Carl Hilliard, president of the Wireless Consumers Alliance. "I just happened to be in a meeting with Verizon Wireless's attorney and mentioned it to him," Hilliard said. "It was reversed."
Regulatory measures California last week adopted a Telecommunications Bill of Rights that requires companies to inform customers about rate increases, bill customers only for services that they request and allow customers to drop a service, without penalty, within 30 days.
A tougher measure failed to pass. "In the last year or so, the industry has just gone all out on every front to stop this," said Wood, the utilities commissioner. The industry has promised to challenge the new regulations in court.
The new rules offer fewer safeguards against deceptive marketing and advertising than Wood's proposal, which also would have blocked companies from changing the terms of an existing contract.
Eric Rabe, a spokesman for Verizon Communications Corp. said the company thought even the watered-down rules unnecessary.
"We do the majority of this stuff already," he claimed. "This is an attempt by a regulatory body to exercise regulatory authority where they have not heretofore had it."
But many consumers are frustrated.
Claire Smith, 21, of San Diego, set up automatic payments for her Cingular Wireless bill. Atlanta-based Cingular charged her credit card, then sent paper bills. When she didn't pay the duplicate bill, they cut off her service, saying she was delinquent. "They tried to double bill me," she said.
Neil Coleman, 34, of Jersey City, New Jersey, asked for a national plan when he signed up with AT&T Wireless. He worked inside his local calling area for months, then was sent to Dallas. His next mobile bill was $600, most of it roaming charges.
Calls to AT&T Wireless's customer service ended with a representative telling him it was his responsibility to review his bill. There, on page four, in the left-hand corner, in small print, the bill said "local plan."
Consumer frustration
Even simple things, like making a call, aren't always possible.
"Wireless carriers have been the victims of people believing their advertising," said Roger Entner, director of the wireless mobile services practice at The Yankee Group. "The carriers have been able to position it as a utility in the eyes of the customers, but it can't live up to that."
Companies insist they're working on improvements, that they're investing in their networks, simplifying billing and tying bonuses to customer satisfaction.
Bluetooth group preps 2.1Mbps spec
By Tony Smith
Published Thursday 10th June 2004 10:38 GMT
Bluetooth communications are set to get rather faster with a new version of the specification that takes its data throughput 2.1Mbps in the offing.
The new version, Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate (EDR), is offered as a "prototype specification" by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The technology increases data transmission by compressing more data into each packet rather than by increasing the rate at which packets are sent. Today's devices support speeds of up to 712Kbps.
Bluetooth EDR will use existing Bluetooth 1.2 technology for connecting devices and sending data, so older devices will still be able to communicate with machines supporting EDR.
The SIG says EDR will consume less power than the current version - it reckons EDR devices will eke out battery power for twice as long as Bluetooth units do today. And the new specification also provides improved facilities to use several functions or devices simultaneously, due to more available bandwidth.
The Bluetooth SIG expects the EDR specification to be finalised this coming Autumn. Products based on the specification are set to ship some time in 2005.
The SIG needs to come up with improved versions of the spec if it's to prevent Bluetooth becoming overshadowed by UWB-based technologies such as the 480Mbps Wireless USB. WUSB's first spec isn't due until the end of the year, and even if it's implemented quickly, Bluetooth has a considerable lead in terms of the number of devices that support it.
its funny that i wrote this hoping to get a funny mod point...and so far its got
70% Insightful
30% Interesting
anyone with a mod point want to achieve a goal of funny,interesting,and insightful?
Slashdot Mirror
thats what i was thinking...
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1133/ is where i seen it
mabey ATI will follow so i can finally use my 9600xt for gaming in linux *hopes*
for those that have RTFA, they would see that they arnt blocking access to usenet, just killing off their usenet service. The artical also says that the message which came up when users try access suggest using a third party usenet provider.
Dear submitter,
You spelt fiber wrong.
Sincerely,
America
mod partent funny, cause thats what the link is
already slashdoted, looks like IIS's fault
i actually read this last night, looks extremely ghetto, but i may make one
i use FireFox!
OWN3D sorry i dislike cs :/
How does this relate to him being a mother fucking quake master?
i would go find the link to the song, but im at work
i are tired because i work from 9-5 2 days a week and just game among other things until 2am...
im not sure what this relates to anything but if you must, mod me flaimbait
i am tired as i write this
you can buy a NeurosAudio mp3 player to do everything that that article talks about, without buying addons for it
sounds like it...
im pretty sure a $50 or whatever craptastic brand pci card tuner costs less than a new lcd
hey anyone want to mod me flainbait/troll/over rated? i'll call you open source users stuipid to add to the effect
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mobile phone service was the second-lowest ranked industry -- beating only cable providers among the 40 rated -- in the University of Michigan's newest customer satisfaction index.
And there's more: mobile companies were the No. 2 sector in complaints last year to Better Business Bureaus, dropping from first place in 2002. Only auto dealers did worse.
"The industry claims that people love their cell phones and they're very happy with the service," said Carl Wood, a commissioner on the California Public Utilities commission who fought the industry for four years to establish state wireless regulatory power. "That's half right."
Consumers complain of frequently dropped calls, lousy customer service and exorbitant penalties for exiting a contract. Then there are the fees -- Verizon Wireless plans to collectively charge customers more than $173 million a year in fees for number portability alone.
The complaints range from mundane to dramatic.
After Julie McMurry's husband died last summer, Verizon Wireless told the Enumclaw, Washington, woman that she would have to pay an early termination fee on his cell phone contract. "I said, 'This isn't an arbitrary thing, I'd be glad to fax you a copy of the death certificate. The man's dead."'
The Verizon rep said McMurry could either pay the fee or give the phone to another family member.
She called Carl Hilliard, president of the Wireless Consumers Alliance. "I just happened to be in a meeting with Verizon Wireless's attorney and mentioned it to him," Hilliard said. "It was reversed."
Regulatory measures
California last week adopted a Telecommunications Bill of Rights that requires companies to inform customers about rate increases, bill customers only for services that they request and allow customers to drop a service, without penalty, within 30 days.
A tougher measure failed to pass. "In the last year or so, the industry has just gone all out on every front to stop this," said Wood, the utilities commissioner. The industry has promised to challenge the new regulations in court.
The new rules offer fewer safeguards against deceptive marketing and advertising than Wood's proposal, which also would have blocked companies from changing the terms of an existing contract.
Eric Rabe, a spokesman for Verizon Communications Corp. said the company thought even the watered-down rules unnecessary.
"We do the majority of this stuff already," he claimed. "This is an attempt by a regulatory body to exercise regulatory authority where they have not heretofore had it."
But many consumers are frustrated.
Claire Smith, 21, of San Diego, set up automatic payments for her Cingular Wireless bill. Atlanta-based Cingular charged her credit card, then sent paper bills. When she didn't pay the duplicate bill, they cut off her service, saying she was delinquent. "They tried to double bill me," she said.
Neil Coleman, 34, of Jersey City, New Jersey, asked for a national plan when he signed up with AT&T Wireless. He worked inside his local calling area for months, then was sent to Dallas. His next mobile bill was $600, most of it roaming charges.
Calls to AT&T Wireless's customer service ended with a representative telling him it was his responsibility to review his bill. There, on page four, in the left-hand corner, in small print, the bill said "local plan."
Consumer frustration
Even simple things, like making a call, aren't always possible.
"Wireless carriers have been the victims of people believing their advertising," said Roger Entner, director of the wireless mobile services practice at The Yankee Group. "The carriers have been able to position it as a utility in the eyes of the customers, but it can't live up to that."
Companies insist they're working on improvements, that they're investing in their networks, simplifying billing and tying bonuses to customer satisfaction.
But they've got some ways to go.
Bluetooth group preps 2.1Mbps spec By Tony Smith Published Thursday 10th June 2004 10:38 GMT Bluetooth communications are set to get rather faster with a new version of the specification that takes its data throughput 2.1Mbps in the offing. The new version, Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate (EDR), is offered as a "prototype specification" by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The technology increases data transmission by compressing more data into each packet rather than by increasing the rate at which packets are sent. Today's devices support speeds of up to 712Kbps. Bluetooth EDR will use existing Bluetooth 1.2 technology for connecting devices and sending data, so older devices will still be able to communicate with machines supporting EDR. The SIG says EDR will consume less power than the current version - it reckons EDR devices will eke out battery power for twice as long as Bluetooth units do today. And the new specification also provides improved facilities to use several functions or devices simultaneously, due to more available bandwidth. The Bluetooth SIG expects the EDR specification to be finalised this coming Autumn. Products based on the specification are set to ship some time in 2005. The SIG needs to come up with improved versions of the spec if it's to prevent Bluetooth becoming overshadowed by UWB-based technologies such as the 480Mbps Wireless USB. WUSB's first spec isn't due until the end of the year, and even if it's implemented quickly, Bluetooth has a considerable lead in terms of the number of devices that support it.
im gona go make a comment that i obveously put no thought into it and didnt read the article
I also got them back in the day...your not the only one
its funny that i wrote this hoping to get a funny mod point...and so far its got 70% Insightful 30% Interesting anyone with a mod point want to achieve a goal of funny,interesting,and insightful?
i let it gather to about 100 emails in my inbox, then i forward each of them individually to every address that sent it.
OMG TEH FIRST POST~
ettercap owns all k
...if someone cant shit for a couple days?
Oh of course, cause you know how the RIAAs headquarters is in france, therefore it being a comspiracy to SCO.