Verizon Wireless will pay the FCC a $25 million fine, and refund $52 million to customers, because they set up their network to generate $1.99 in fees every time a customer unintentionally accessed data from a phone.
I doubt that a Republican House will have the guts to impeach Obama, but I’m certain that one of the first subpoenas to be issued will be for FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, that the FCC’s enforcement division will be the target of some righteous deficit-busting, and that Fox will soon uncover secret Muslim infiltration in that despicable socialist agency.
BR
Anyone know of a pre-paid cell service provider that allows you to use any phone? I’m on verizon now and would love to switch to a pre-paid plan that allows me to keep my phone.
stuckinred
On the bright side they did just release their own iPad!
ChrisS
Class-action suits are great for lawyers, but meh for consumers.
Regardless, the telecommunications industry is a giant blackhole for money.
Southern Beale
And don’t forget, the free hand of the market would have made sure this NEVER happened, too.
Comrade Javamanphil
I don’t think even the congressional Republicans are stupid enough to side with cell phone companies. There is far more low hanging corporate fruit to get buddy-buddy with before you need to embrace the evilest of the evil. Oil and coal companies, for example. Or the mafia. Also. Too.
WereBear
Not only that, Verizon Wireless kept putting the data package on my phone, at $15 a month; I’d take it off, they’d put it back on, and sometimes I didn’t catch it in time and then have to pay it.
I had to go semi-Galt with the “Loyalty Plan” at $20 a month (fortunately my plan had expired) for almost a year. Thing is, other providers here (I’m looking at you, AT&T) are worse.
Linda Featheringill
Po widdle Verison. Why you so mean to the widdle phone company?
El Cid
@Comrade Javamanphil:
They wouldn’t have to. They would make sure that it was about FREEDOM and how the Democraps are trying to force you to let Muslims listen to your phone calls.
mai naem
@BR: There’s a bunch of them – cricket, pay text tel , virgin, boost.
I had alltel which was bought by verizon. I loved alltel, verizon not so much. I usually pay my bill on the phone and expect my normal monthly amount with a dollar or two variation if i made any 411 calls. My first 2 verizon bills had so many of these data charges that I asked the rep why my bill was so high. The rep refused to take them off and his supervisor refused to initially take it off until I began to practically scream at them at which point he made it sound like he was doing me a huge favor.
NonyNony
This is perhaps the funniest thing said on the front page of this blog since the day Cole speculated about “Peak Wingnut”.
I doubt that a Republican House will have the guts not to impeach Obama. If the whole of DC believes that the Republicans have the House only because of the angry Teahadis, they’re going to believe that the only way their political future is secure is if they shutdown the government, impeach Obama, and possibly eliminate the Department of Education and the EPA.
They may not be successful at any of these things but, and this is key, it doesn’t matter in the slightest. These days, Republican base voters punish their politicians based on acts of political theater not reality. If reality had any impact on their actions Bob Bennett would still have his seat in Utah. If a politician is insufficiently loyal to the Teahadi line they’re going to axe him. And if Republicans take the House despite the Tea Party antics, the narrative is that they’re beholden to the Teahadis.
Comrade Javamanphil
@El Cid:
Well, sure, but that’s easily countered. All the Democrats would need to do is launch an effective messaging campaign clearly illustrating the ties between the GOP and the cell companies.
Oh.
We’re screwed.
Rommie
I have to agree with NonyNony, saying they don’t have the guts to impeach may end up with some famous JC “he said that?” moments, like Peak Wingnut and 60 votes isn’t a big deal in the Senate. If they don’t do it right off the bat, the first Veto of one of their bills will set off the Ladies and Gentlemen from the State of Wingularity.
But yeah, it’ll be open season on regulatory committees – again.
cs
@BR:
You probably can’t find one for keeping your existing phone unless you went with Verizon prepaid or Alltel. CDMA phones are usually not very migratory.
Your best bet would be to buy an unlocked GSM phone (i.e. one that would take sim cards) and then go with one of the GSM prepaid providers, AT&T or TMobile. That’s what I did.
If you do this and you travel internationally much, buy a quad band unlocked phone. This will give you a phone that will work anywhere in the world. Just buy a prepaid sim in the country you’re going to, and you’re set.
Persia
@mai naem: We’ve had the same problem. I’m excited to see how ridiculous the settlement letter will look, heh.
Mnemosyne
@Comrade Javamanphil:
You mean the same phone companies who were illegally spying on Americans for the Bush administration?
Nope, sorry, the Republicans will go to the mat for them to prevent any of that shit from bubbling back up to the surface.