General Discussion

alarimer

(17,146 posts)

69. Cell phone service is the way it is because it is something close to a monopoly.

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 06:15 PM

Jun 2014

There is no real competition in any given market. There might only be three or four companies and they all offer essentially the same level of service. You can't say, "Fine, I don't like your terms, I'll go somewhere else," because the terms are basically the same everywhere.

Phone companies, and cable companies all have us over a barrel. Either go with the service they provide or do without.

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An example of how stupid we are and what we tolerate... [View all] randys1 Jun 2014 OP

Because the foxes are in charge of the henhouse CBGLuthier Jun 2014 #1

The question is about the behavior of the 312 million chickens, and why, with so many, they jtuck004 Jun 2014 #83

Well... Orrex Jun 2014 #2

Cant, doesnt exist, they have the only cell network that works to the degree randys1 Jun 2014 #3

You signed no agreement? You accepted no terms of use? Orrex Jun 2014 #6

What are you talking about? randys1 Jun 2014 #8

If you signed a contract, then you accepted the terms of that contract Orrex Jun 2014 #12

he's saying he had NO choice. Duppers Jun 2014 #23

But I find it hard to believe that. I live in a super rural area, truedelphi Jun 2014 #32

My late s-i-l lived in an area of AZ in which she could Cerridwen Jun 2014 #43

All of what you say is true, but it is also true that any area that doesn't now have reception truedelphi Jun 2014 #95

I've been fighting centurylink's congested traffic Cerridwen Jun 2014 #97

It could be that Arizona is rather restricted in such matters. truedelphi Jun 2014 #126

I pay only 15 dollars a month automatically deducted WHEN CRABS ROAR Jun 2014 #85

Really? yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #81

So, not having a phone is exactly the same as dying of thirst? Orrex Jun 2014 #115

I havent signed a contract with Verizon Go Vols Jun 2014 #53

No offense--but a cell phone is not one of life's necessities. panader0 Jun 2014 #82

I agree yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #4

Until we stop falling for divide-and-conquer tactics... polichick Jun 2014 #5

Exactly gopiscrap Jun 2014 #15

At some point the corporations will kill off consumer upaloopa Jun 2014 #7

Idiocracy, the movie...everyday it becomes more and more real randys1 Jun 2014 #10

I like the monologue Simon Pegg had at the end of The World's End *Spoiler* Initech Jun 2014 #57

yeah, good movie... randys1 Jun 2014 #58

While in general I agree, I don't think the cell service is a good example. hughee99 Jun 2014 #9

I paid for 4gbs and didnt get them, try doing that with anything else randys1 Jun 2014 #11

Not really, you paid for UP TO 4gb and didn't use them. hughee99 Jun 2014 #13

Dear god, forget it, seriously, forget it randys1 Jun 2014 #14

As I said. I agree that we get fucked in a lot of ways, hughee99 Jun 2014 #17

No, I didnt...actually it is a great example, given how EXTREMELY necessary it is randys1 Jun 2014 #20

Is 4gb of data necessary to survive? hughee99 Jun 2014 #25

if it's any consolation, i understand what you're saying. Duppers Jun 2014 #27

You didn't see that possibility when YOU signed the contract? Dreamer Tatum Jun 2014 #72

Not the point, if i wanted service i had to sign the contract, didnt I randys1 Jun 2014 #76

No. You could go contract-free. Dreamer Tatum Jun 2014 #78

You pay taxes for roads, if you don't use the roads in any given month do you get your taxes back? PoliticAverse Jun 2014 #19

Yeah, you are right...i give up, am I on the right board :-) amazing randys1 Jun 2014 #21

Frustratin' isn't it? Armstead Jun 2014 #60

Yup, as frustrated as I get here i do know most people are decent and well meaning randys1 Jun 2014 #61

I think it is a good example tkmorris Jun 2014 #54

There are options for cell service to pay as you go. hughee99 Jun 2014 #56

Consumers have to walk. For mobile phones, just switch carriers. redqueen Jun 2014 #16

I wish it was that easy with cell service, you see Verizon is slowly creating randys1 Jun 2014 #18

They're losing customers to T Mobile. redqueen Jun 2014 #22

Because people like you pay them! Egnever Jun 2014 #114

You want the government to be the only geek tragedy Jun 2014 #24

Good one, hadnt thought of that randys1 Jun 2014 #29

also, government sucks at providing a lot of services. geek tragedy Jun 2014 #31

Nah, you create not for profit entities and you do it with intelligent liberals randys1 Jun 2014 #36

monopolies provide shitty service. geek tragedy Jun 2014 #39

Too soon...I get it... randys1 Jun 2014 #44

i think it's a fallacy that good people perform well and bad people perform poorly geek tragedy Jun 2014 #45

Point is a con has no interest in the community as a whole, only for them self randys1 Jun 2014 #47

most people care about themselves moreso than they care about others. geek tragedy Jun 2014 #48

Huh? Nah, cons are assholes, liberals are not. A liberal can be an asshole in some randys1 Jun 2014 #49

Good hearts are not adequate substitutes geek tragedy Jun 2014 #51

It doesnt require a greedy asshole to create a highly functional operation like a water system randys1 Jun 2014 #52

Unfortunately rlegro Jun 2014 #110

So let's all just follow the lead of REagan and Faux News and become wingnuts Armstead Jun 2014 #62

No, of course not, there has to be a common sense balance. nt geek tragedy Jun 2014 #63

I agree with that Armstead Jun 2014 #65

the government's a lot better at regulating the private sector than it is geek tragedy Jun 2014 #66

I semi-agree with that one Armstead Jun 2014 #67

that's where I am, and really for me it's a matter mostly of who does it better, geek tragedy Jun 2014 #68

Yeah, and.... shit was GREAT when there was only one phone company. Warren DeMontague Jun 2014 #80

But they did come in different colors truedelphi Jun 2014 #96

"...And you knew who you werree thennn, goils were goils and men were men!" Warren DeMontague Jun 2014 #116

Translation: I don't like the phone contract I signed. FSogol Jun 2014 #26

I included water and oil and fuel and internet access, if i didnt include water it was randys1 Jun 2014 #30

One of these things is not like the others. FSogol Jun 2014 #38

So you support nationalization of necessities, which ones? randys1 Jun 2014 #50

I don't support nationalization of water, but water should be a local public resourse. FSogol Jun 2014 #89

For people without landlines it is tabbycat31 Jun 2014 #101

I'm happy with my $7/month tracfone and don't want to be forced to subsidize people with iphones. JVS Jun 2014 #28

Why is beer $9.99 a six pack? We should nationalize the microbreweries! FSogol Jun 2014 #33

6 Packs are not the Pennsylvanian way. JVS Jun 2014 #42

That won't fly in Az either panader0 Jun 2014 #84

Your disagreement makes sense, but when we nationalize everything you wont have randys1 Jun 2014 #34

Go TMobile LittleBlue Jun 2014 #35

Why are you against nationalization of necessities? randys1 Jun 2014 #37

Because your stupid phone isn't a necessity. FSogol Jun 2014 #40

Understood, you betcha... randys1 Jun 2014 #41

Seconded: you don't need your goddamn cell phone. Dreamer Tatum Jun 2014 #73

apples and oranges randys1 Jun 2014 #75

I think a good measuring stick of whether someone needs something Dreamer Tatum Jun 2014 #77

The Soviet Union tried that LittleBlue Jun 2014 #87

I will just talk to myself for a while randys1 Jun 2014 #46

Get a tracfone, use it for emergencies, and get off the phone as much as possible. MADem Jun 2014 #55

He managed without electricity, too. Or plumbing. Tap water. Cerridwen Jun 2014 #59

Well, FDR had the 20th Century versions of those things MADem Jun 2014 #99

The point was, there are certain modern technologies Cerridwen Jun 2014 #100

I know a LOT of people who do fine without a cellphone. MADem Jun 2014 #104

Yep. We live in a profit driven country. Cerridwen Jun 2014 #107

Well, I was paying the Japanese, the English, the Italians, everyone BUT the damn Americans! MADem Jun 2014 #108

Technology changed the way we do things. Cerridwen Jun 2014 #109

It costs money to deliver water to a residence. Cities and towns have a "Water Department" for a MADem Jun 2014 #113

no money, no water, just die and hope you dont spread disease...got it randys1 Jun 2014 #119

If you can't get your ass up and go to social services and get some assistance, or MADem Jun 2014 #120

did you find out how to survive and not die without water? randys1 Jun 2014 #121

Stop being obtuse--it's not cute, it makes you look like you're goading and baiting. MADem Jun 2014 #122

Some of the responses here sound quite.....er, conservative Armstead Jun 2014 #64

No shit, THANK YOU, thought I was dreaming for a minute randys1 Jun 2014 #70

That's a ridiculous misdirection Dreamer Tatum Jun 2014 #74

Cell phone service is the way it is because it is something close to a monopoly. alarimer Jun 2014 #69

You're right about cable, but with cellphones that's incorrect. JVS Jun 2014 #86

I say this everyday... jimlup Jun 2014 #71

Power and water should be provided by the state. Things like cell phone service, I'm not sure. n/t nomorenomore08 Jun 2014 #79

What about necessities like Rocky Road ice cream and 5 Guys Burgers? FSogol Jun 2014 #90

That's why I suggested things like cell phone and cable TV service shouldn't be nationalized. nomorenomore08 Jun 2014 #91

True, but I'd give up my phone faster than giving up ice cream. n/t FSogol Jun 2014 #92

Me too. A life without frozen dairy treats wouldn't be much of a life, for me personally. n/t nomorenomore08 Jun 2014 #93

Why did you have to bring 5 guys into this? Egnever Jun 2014 #112

My guess is because Jamaal510 Jun 2014 #88

Why do you keep your cell service if you don't like the price? LLD Jun 2014 #94

you must live in a metropolitan area where more than one provider has excellent coverage randys1 Jun 2014 #98

Okay, I can understand. LLD Jun 2014 #118

Perhaps you should think a little harder about SheilaT Jun 2014 #102

I don't have a cell phone because of the cost. nilesobek Jun 2014 #103

I am always on the phone complaiing Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2014 #105

You can choose another company. Simple solution. No one forces you to use Verizon. n-t Logical Jun 2014 #106

Message auto-removed Name removed Jun 2014 #111

Everyone believes a PFD here in Alaska is a freebie...... raven mad Jun 2014 #117

IDK. I feel like we're all "stuck," you know. Like beaten down and stuck. WinkyDink Jun 2014 #123

Yes, we are...and we have been lied to about so much for so long randys1 Jun 2014 #124

You had me at "NOT for profit" yallerdawg Jun 2014 #125