American government is stupid

[akdiver 3]

Well, if the tyrannical federal government didn't convince people of its stupidity with its investigation of drug use in baseball, its investigation of text messaging rates should do the trick.

HINT:

If you do not like the cost of text messaging, then DO NOT SEND TEXT MESSAGES!!!! DO NOT ASK PEOPLE TO SEND YOU MESSAGES!!! The amount you spent is completely within your control!!

If phone companies want to charge $100/message, that's between them and their customers, who can use the service or not.

Stupid government. It's no wonder it can't do something USEFUL when it is spending time on ####### like this.

Senator examining rising text messaging rates

By Joelle Tessler, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A key member of the Senate Judiciary Committee is asking the nation's top four wireless carriers to justify the "sharply rising rates" they charge people to send and receive text messages.

In letters to top executives at Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl said Tuesday that he is concerned that rising text messaging rates reflect decreasing competition in the wireless business.

Kohl chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. His inquiry comes as European Commission regulators are threatening to impose a cap on roaming fees for text messages sent by Europeans traveling outside of their home nations, in an effort to force prices down by as much as 70%.

Kohl said he was concerned that consumers are paying more than 20 cents per message, up from 10 cents in 2005. This increase, he said, "does not appear to be justified by rising costs in delivering text messages," which are small data files that are inexpensive for carriers to transmit.

Kohl said he is particularly concerned that all four of the companies appear to have adopted identical price increases at nearly the same time. "This conduct is hardly consistent with the vigorous price competition we hope to see in a competitive marketplace," he wrote.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Senate Judiciary Committee | Verizon Wireless | T-Mobile | Verizon Communications | Sprint Nextel | Vodafone | Alltel | Senator | Deutsche Telekom | Consumer Rights | Antitrust | Competition Policy | Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl

Kohl also noted that these rate hikes have occurred during the industry's recent consolidation, which has reduced the number of national wireless carriers in the U.S. to four from six. That consolidation continues, he said, as the large national wireless carriers buy out smaller, regional competitors — as evidenced most recently by Verizon Wireless' planned acquisition of Alltel for $5.9 billion plus the assumption of $22.2 billion in debt.

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone, said it will respond to Kohl's letter once it has had a chance to review it. And Sprint said "we look forward to responding to the Senator's inquiry about the text messaging options we offer our customers and we will fully cooperate with his request."

T-Mobile, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom, and AT&T did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

[Heracles 417]

Shutup this issue is important.

Who cares about the 6.1% unemployment rate or the ridiculously high crime rates.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Aficionado

[aidan80 9]

If the government had half a brain they'd do more to look after the people. Ok text messaging isn't quite the top priority it would be nice if they actually regulated the phone companies over here. At the minute it's hard to tell the difference in prices and plans. Talk about milking the cow for all she's worth!!

Back home we didn't get charged for incoming calls or incoming texts.. why?.. because the person calling in or texting already paid for the service. It's a total rip off being charged twice over and over again and I've the feeling most people here just expect it and pay for it? I had an O2 mobile back home, pay as you go and it came with 300 free texts every month!! I never got charged a penny for an incoming call or text.. how much would you pay twice over here for that?

[akdiver 3]

If the government had half a brain they'd do more to look after the people.

It is not, nor should it be, government's job to "look after" people. The federal government's job is to look after the nation and create an environment where people CAN thrive, not to ensure that they DO thrive. Ensuring and promoting basic rights is a long way from ensuring and promoting every conceivable luxury or convenience that is possibly available to all people of the nation.

It's a total rip off being charged twice over and over again and I've the feeling most people here just expect it and pay for it?

If you are unhappy with the terms of service, do not use the service. If you think you can do better, then go into the business and offer the service on the terms you find more palatable.

I had an O2 mobile back home, pay as you go and it came with 300 free texts every month!! I never got charged a penny for an incoming call or text.. how much would you pay twice over here for that?

Nothing, because it's not a service I use.

Text messaging is not a utility or essential service, by even the biggest stretch of imagination. They should be able to charge whatever in the hell they want. If people find it too much, they will not buy the service. Lack of demand will reduce the price. This is called capitalism and it is SUPPOSED to be the economic system that we operate under. Even the USCIS says so (:

Edited September 9, 2008 by akdiver

[panamania79 2]

Well, if the tyrannical federal government didn't convince people of its stupidity with its investigation of drug use in baseball, its investigation of text messaging rates should do the trick.

HINT:

If you do not like the cost of text messaging, then DO NOT SEND TEXT MESSAGES!!!! DO NOT ASK PEOPLE TO SEND YOU MESSAGES!!! The amount you spent is completely within your control!!

If phone companies want to charge $100/message, that's between them and their customers, who can use the service or not.

Stupid government. It's no wonder it can't do something USEFUL when it is spending time on ####### like this.

Senator examining rising text messaging rates

By Joelle Tessler, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A key member of the Senate Judiciary Committee is asking the nation's top four wireless carriers to justify the "sharply rising rates" they charge people to send and receive text messages.

In letters to top executives at Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl said Tuesday that he is concerned that rising text messaging rates reflect decreasing competition in the wireless business.

Kohl chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. His inquiry comes as European Commission regulators are threatening to impose a cap on roaming fees for text messages sent by Europeans traveling outside of their home nations, in an effort to force prices down by as much as 70%.

Kohl said he was concerned that consumers are paying more than 20 cents per message, up from 10 cents in 2005. This increase, he said, "does not appear to be justified by rising costs in delivering text messages," which are small data files that are inexpensive for carriers to transmit.

Kohl said he is particularly concerned that all four of the companies appear to have adopted identical price increases at nearly the same time. "This conduct is hardly consistent with the vigorous price competition we hope to see in a competitive marketplace," he wrote.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Senate Judiciary Committee | Verizon Wireless | T-Mobile | Verizon Communications | Sprint Nextel | Vodafone | Alltel | Senator | Deutsche Telekom | Consumer Rights | Antitrust | Competition Policy | Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl

Kohl also noted that these rate hikes have occurred during the industry's recent consolidation, which has reduced the number of national wireless carriers in the U.S. to four from six. That consolidation continues, he said, as the large national wireless carriers buy out smaller, regional competitors — as evidenced most recently by Verizon Wireless' planned acquisition of Alltel for $5.9 billion plus the assumption of $22.2 billion in debt.

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone, said it will respond to Kohl's letter once it has had a chance to review it. And Sprint said "we look forward to responding to the Senator's inquiry about the text messaging options we offer our customers and we will fully cooperate with his request."

T-Mobile, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom, and AT&T did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

You are just discovering this ?

[akdiver 3]

You are just discovering this?

Just discovering what? Edited September 9, 2008 by akdiver

[panamania79 2]

You are just discovering this?

Just discovering what?

That the government is stupid.

[akdiver 3]

That the government is stupid.

Uh, no.....if you read my first post, I gave some past evidence, and referred to this article as "more" evidence. So, it should be pretty clear that this is not something that is a recent discovery to me and that I'm just using this recent bit of news to ###### about it and how it leads to the downfall of America - as a country that has gone from the concept of "rugged individualism" to "mommy government must take care of me". Edited September 10, 2008 by akdiver

[panamania79 2]

That the government is stupid.

Uh, no.....if you read my first post, I gave some past evidence, and referred to this article as "more" evidence. So, it should be pretty clear that this is not something that is a recent discovery to me and that I'm just using this recent bit of news to ###### about it and how it leads to the downfall of America - as a country that has gone from the concept of "rugged individualism" to "mommy government must take care of me".

I know,I was just joking,sorry if I offended you,it was not my intention.

[akdiver 3]

I know,I was just joking,sorry if I offended you,it was not my intention.

Oh - I see. Well, don't worry. It is impossible for complete strangers to offend me (:

Cheers!

AKD

[aidan80 9]

If the government had half a brain they'd do more to look after the people.

It is not, nor should it be, government's job to "look after" people. The federal government's job is to look after the nation and create an environment where people CAN thrive, not to ensure that they DO thrive. Ensuring and promoting basic rights is a long way from ensuring and promoting every conceivable luxury or convenience that is possibly available to all people of the nation.

It's a total rip off being charged twice over and over again and I've the feeling most people here just expect it and pay for it?

If you are unhappy with the terms of service, do not use the service. If you think you can do better, then go into the business and offer the service on the terms you find more palatable.

I had an O2 mobile back home, pay as you go and it came with 300 free texts every month!! I never got charged a penny for an incoming call or text.. how much would you pay twice over here for that?

Nothing, because it's not a service I use.

Text messaging is not a utility or essential service, by even the biggest stretch of imagination. They should be able to charge whatever in the hell they want. If people find it too much, they will not buy the service. Lack of demand will reduce the price. This is called capitalism and it is SUPPOSED to be the economic system that we operate under. Even the USCIS says so (:

Well your idea of government and mine are two totally different ideas are they not? I think it should be their responsibility to take care of when needed those to elect them to office, it should be their job either at state, federal or local level to assist the people not to leave them to the mercy of the greedy and the rich.

Text messaging may not be a utility or an essential service but we shouldn't be robbed like this we should get a fair deal. These companies are sitting there getting fat on our money, it annoys me it should annoy you too! They should charge a reasonable rate for a reasonable service with free and fair competition instead of this stagnant $hite that's allowed to happen. All of these greedy companies are charging more of less the same for the same junk their selling us! Lack of demand my balls, greed keeps the price high you not see that? There is plenty of demand every other person out there has a phone!! I've love to see where USCIS says capitalism is the "supposed" economic system?

[akdiver 3]

Text messaging may not be a utility or an essential service but we shouldn't be robbed like this we should get a fair deal. These companies are sitting there getting fat on our money, it annoys me it should annoy you too! They should charge a reasonable rate for a reasonable service with free and fair competition instead of this stagnant $hite that's allowed to happen.

You're just so wrong here. You are only getting "robbed" if you are somehow forced to pay more than you agreed to. If you agree to pay $5/message, you can't very well claim to be getting robbed when you get charged $5/message. If you don't like the price, you have completely and utter freedom to avoid being "robbed" simply by not using the service.

All of these greedy companies are charging more of less the same for the same junk their selling us!

If you don't like their products, then don't buy them.

I've love to see where USCIS says capitalism is the "supposed" economic system?

Question #11 on the "new" list of 100 civics questions you can be asked:

11. What is the economic system in the United States?

A: capitalist economy

A: market economy

Edited September 10, 2008 by akdiver

[aidan80 9]

Text messaging may not be a utility or an essential service but we shouldn't be robbed like this we should get a fair deal. These companies are sitting there getting fat on our money, it annoys me it should annoy you too! They should charge a reasonable rate for a reasonable service with free and fair competition instead of this stagnant $hite that's allowed to happen.

You're just so wrong here. You are only getting "robbed" if you are somehow forced to pay more than you agreed to. If you agree to pay $5/message, you can't very well claim to be getting robbed when you get charged $5/message. If you don't like the price, you have completely and utter freedom to avoid being "robbed" simply by not using the service.

All of these greedy companies are charging more of less the same for the same junk their selling us!

If you don't like their products, then don't buy them.

I've love to see where USCIS says capitalism is the "supposed" economic system?

Question #11 on the "new" list of 100 civics questions you can be asked:

11. What is the economic system in the United States?

A: capitalist economy

A: market economy

I disagree, you are being robbed when you get charged $5 for that text you didn't want or have the option of refusing. Anyway the person that sent it already paid their $5 to send it to you? It's like me mailing you a package then you paying for the shipping again to the postal service? Why would we both pay it.. it's insanity! Of course I could avoid using the service and get a landline.. my choices there are 1 provider in this area, same as cable.. there is no competition and nothing driving competition market is like a clogged toilet. All I'm saying is it'd be nice if the government put on some rubber gloves and took a plunger to it! There is plenty of demand and not many choices or no choices!

Edited September 10, 2008 by aidan80

[IAMX 3,055]

While text message rates are indeed absolutely ridiculous, considering what you pay per byte for TEXT versus what you pay, for instance, in internet browsing or actual phone usage on a data stream, maybe Kohl could examine why we don't have a la carte television first, and why companies force me to pay for a bundle that includes retarded channels I don't watch, or will never watch, before I can actually start choosing a couple channels on top of the arm-and-leg fee.

[IAMX 3,055]

Btw, this is pretty funny too, just for the sake of the topic about text messaging:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cnet/830110784399822517

If the same pricing was applied on a per-byte basis to downloading one 4MB song it would cost the user almost $6,000 to download a single song via SMS texting.

Or, they could investigate if we calculated the cost of not running an unnecessary Iraq War, I wonder how many years of universal health care that would be, and how many soldiers would still be alive to reap the rewards of it.