Internet Provider Pricing

[redpoint5]

I bought cheap directional reflectors for my drone and it easily doubled the range I could fly it line of sight. I think I've gone about 4 miles with it, but on the return ran out of battery and had it auto-land next to the railroad track (so I could easily locate it).

[JSH]

"Why can't they figure out what plans are best for their customer (they have like 3)? "

The "customer service reps" you called are salespeople. Their job is to sell you the most profitable plan they can - not find ways to reduce your monthly bill and reduce revenue to the company they work for.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by JSH

"Why can't they figure out what plans are best for their customer (they have like 3)? "

The "customer service reps" you called are salespeople. Their job is to sell you the most profitable plan they can - not find ways to reduce your monthly bill and reduce revenue to the company they work for.

Customer retention is part of profit maximizing. If I hadn't come up with a solution for them, I'd have seriously considered getting StarLink. At minimum, I would have teamed up with neighbors to share a single internet connection to share the bill across several households.

[freebeard]

I know where there is an apartment building with a whole row of satellite dishes.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Customer retention is part of profit maximizing. If I hadn't come up with a solution for them, I'd have seriously considered getting StarLink. At minimum, I would have teamed up with neighbors to share a single internet connection to share the bill across several households.

Yes, customer retention is important but that doesn't mean they are instantly going to give you their best possible price. You were paying $105 a month with the overage charge. They offered unlimited for an extra $20 a month saving you $35 a month. Most people would have said thanks, change me to unlimited and hung up the phone.

They offered you a $70 a month unlimited plan. Switching to Starlink at for $100 a month + $500 for equipment doesn't make sense and they know that.

As to splitting internet with neighbors - good luck. I have tried multiple times to set up shared plans for mobile phone service or streaming services. They always fall apart pretty quick. People seem to dislike sending a monthly payment to friends and family.

[redpoint5]

I probably wouldn't bill anyone I shared with. When I lived in Vantucky, I gave my neighbors the password to my network so they could use it at will, especially if they lost internet and I somehow still had it (I alternated between Comcast and CentryLink).

I pay my parents Google Fi phones, internet, and vehicle insurance for all the vehicles I keep there.

Others money is equivalent to my money is the way I see things. If they save money, I'm saving money. I view eating out on the company dime the same, where I order what I would get if I were paying. That means I'm not getting prime rib, not because I don't like a good steak, but because I'm mindful of price/enjoyment regardless of who's paying.

Also why I find it difficult to sympathize for those who haven't made sacrifices I'd be willing to make, or are quick to be on the take when they could rearrange priorities to avoid being a leach on others.

[freebeard]

I was driving through the Coast Range, maybe somewhere North of Hebo, when I stopped at a little roadside restaurant to check Digg.com and BoingBoing on my Barnes&Noble Nook. The iPad Mini wasn't available yet so prior to 2012.

As I was paying, the owner made some comment about no free lunch. I pointed out that I'd stopped because he had a 'Free WiFi' sign out front that put my money in his pocket.

[JSH]

Interesting coincidence. Yesterday I noticed an email from Xfinity stating my basic 50 Mbps internet service was going up $3 from $40 to $43. This was unacceptable so I went online and switched to their "superfast" service. 600 Mbps down, 20 Mbps up, 1.2 TB of data per month, $45 per month.

I noticed when I downgraded from 100 Mbps to 50 when my wife stopped working from home I sometimes have connection issues on MS Teams. We will see if this addresses that - I have 30 days to cancel. The 100 Mbps service was $50

"Superfast" also comes with Paramount + so hopefully that counts as "TV" and allows me to stream the Olympics. If not I'll have to subscribe to Sling TV for a month again.

[freebeard]

Do what thou wilt, but if there ever was one Olympics worth averting your gaze from, this one would be it.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Do what thou wilt, but if there ever was one Olympics worth averting your gaze from, this one would be it.

Really - this is the Olympics to boycott?

Not Russia - should be pretty obvious
Not Brazil - that took place after Brazil's economy collapsed and the country was spending billions on the games while cutting social programs for their people
Not Korea - which was basically "co-hosted" by North Korea and a propaganda masterpiece for them.
Not Japan - which was hosted in the middle of a global pandemic before the host country was vaccinated.

The Olympics are the only sporting event worth watching - play politics with them if you like but I'll be enjoying the events.

If you don't like China you should want them to host every Olympic games - they are a massive money pit for the host country.