Too Many Taxes
Remember that expression about the certainties of life: "death and taxes?" Well, I sure do, and especially during the month of April when we file our 1040's it's all too fresh in my mind.
I've been waiting to hear from Verizon to see if they could do better than Optimum for a triple play deal. I figure if they can come in at a similar price, I'd be willing to stick with them. Even given my recent DSL issue, I decided that I'd simply offer competitive bidding, and see where the dollars fell.
So, today I called up Verizon, who I had expected to call and hadn't, and asked for a better deal. I started with the 800 number, and this was for Fios for the nation. The lady explained "the deal" and told me the best they could do was $132 with taxes for triple play with a HD-DVR and another standard STB (set top box). When I told her nicely that she was over by at least $25 monthly, she connected me to the local office "for a better deal." She was also unsure of the taxes as they vary by locality.
I then bounced to a generic service rep, who then connected me to the Retention Specialist. We'll call her Ms. A, and she was far more pleasant than everyone else I had spoken to at Verizon during the course of the last week. I explained to her what had happened with my DSL, now deactivated, and how they were on the verge of losing this household, after decades to the cable company. What could Verizon do?
She told me I could go with a Verizon Unlimited phone plan for $19.99 (Freedom Essentials?). At first I'm thinking that I've been paying around $25 for a copper phone line for years now, and then paying my the call. I was thinking this was a really good deal, and I've been ripped off for many years. Anyway, I then ask her what the tax is on this, and I'm told that it will run around $38 monthly. So much for the bargain.
I plunge onward, and when we add in Fios internet, we are up to $72, including tax, and a 6 month discount. The discount is for 6 months, and the contract is for 12, and then the price goes up by $10 for the remaining 6 months, although I could "call and ask for another discount," but I'm not sure that they'd really do much for you at that point. Still, I plodded on.
She explains to me that because Verizon was traditionally a phone company, the user gets taxed on the phone portion of the bill. Because the cable companies are traditional TV providers, users get taxed on the TV part of the bill. I will say that first, this is unfair to Verizon because it makes their service more expensive just because of taxes that date back to the Spanish American War when a phone was a luxury. However, as a consumer, who hates to pay tax on things as this is hardly value, I'll opt for the less taxing one just on principle.
Next, I ask her about a triple play. I point out my phone bill which has a triple play deal for $94.99. When she adds in the boxes, we're back up to $132. I tell her that Optimum is coming next week, and the $102 + tax price I signed up for,at least for the first year. She tells me that the best they can do is to give me the standard box for free for 12 months, and $10 off the internet for 6 months. It comes to $116 monthly, which is simply more than I'm willing to go for right now.
While she did let me know that Verizon charges $55 for each cable run to the TV set, she also pointed out that the phone won't work from cable if their modem goes out. She didn't point out that they have only 25 hi def channels, although she claimed they were sharper, which I've heard. I thanked her, and told her that I was going to cable. I figure the worst is that I try it, and go back to Verizon, but after the $55 coax has been run to both my sets. All of this from a DSL modem dying...
Jonas
I've been waiting to hear from Verizon to see if they could do better than Optimum for a triple play deal. I figure if they can come in at a similar price, I'd be willing to stick with them. Even given my recent DSL issue, I decided that I'd simply offer competitive bidding, and see where the dollars fell.
So, today I called up Verizon, who I had expected to call and hadn't, and asked for a better deal. I started with the 800 number, and this was for Fios for the nation. The lady explained "the deal" and told me the best they could do was $132 with taxes for triple play with a HD-DVR and another standard STB (set top box). When I told her nicely that she was over by at least $25 monthly, she connected me to the local office "for a better deal." She was also unsure of the taxes as they vary by locality.
I then bounced to a generic service rep, who then connected me to the Retention Specialist. We'll call her Ms. A, and she was far more pleasant than everyone else I had spoken to at Verizon during the course of the last week. I explained to her what had happened with my DSL, now deactivated, and how they were on the verge of losing this household, after decades to the cable company. What could Verizon do?
She told me I could go with a Verizon Unlimited phone plan for $19.99 (Freedom Essentials?). At first I'm thinking that I've been paying around $25 for a copper phone line for years now, and then paying my the call. I was thinking this was a really good deal, and I've been ripped off for many years. Anyway, I then ask her what the tax is on this, and I'm told that it will run around $38 monthly. So much for the bargain.
I plunge onward, and when we add in Fios internet, we are up to $72, including tax, and a 6 month discount. The discount is for 6 months, and the contract is for 12, and then the price goes up by $10 for the remaining 6 months, although I could "call and ask for another discount," but I'm not sure that they'd really do much for you at that point. Still, I plodded on.
She explains to me that because Verizon was traditionally a phone company, the user gets taxed on the phone portion of the bill. Because the cable companies are traditional TV providers, users get taxed on the TV part of the bill. I will say that first, this is unfair to Verizon because it makes their service more expensive just because of taxes that date back to the Spanish American War when a phone was a luxury. However, as a consumer, who hates to pay tax on things as this is hardly value, I'll opt for the less taxing one just on principle.
Next, I ask her about a triple play. I point out my phone bill which has a triple play deal for $94.99. When she adds in the boxes, we're back up to $132. I tell her that Optimum is coming next week, and the $102 + tax price I signed up for,at least for the first year. She tells me that the best they can do is to give me the standard box for free for 12 months, and $10 off the internet for 6 months. It comes to $116 monthly, which is simply more than I'm willing to go for right now.
While she did let me know that Verizon charges $55 for each cable run to the TV set, she also pointed out that the phone won't work from cable if their modem goes out. She didn't point out that they have only 25 hi def channels, although she claimed they were sharper, which I've heard. I thanked her, and told her that I was going to cable. I figure the worst is that I try it, and go back to Verizon, but after the $55 coax has been run to both my sets. All of this from a DSL modem dying...
Jonas
Labels: DSL, internet access, internet service provider, triple play, Verizon, verizon fios
posted by digitaldoc at 9:26 PM
3 Comments:
Glad to see you are able to post before Optimum is installed. I thought I might get technudgelive.com withdrawal if you didn't post soon! Do tell. Local library? Or perhaps you are sipping a $5 latte in order to get the free wifi at your local Starbucks? Just ignore those two 20-somethings on a 'date' behind you discussing the latest Darfur crisis with one-too-many piercings, earlobe fobs and/or tribal tattoos.
Sadly – FIOS is more expensive - and annoyingly - so much better. Therein lies the rub. And even if you do get a deal it will be a teaser which expires soon enough. By that time you will be addicted to all that streaming digital loveliness. Then there is no turning back. I see a 56 inch plasma, stadium seating and Bose surround sound in your future while you download and upload lightning fast. Don't hold your breath for the Verizon customer service. Customer service is notoriously poor in all industries these days because it is not a revenue producer. (??) And you are the exception. Most of us just follow like chattel once we find a product we like or are too lazy to switch. Meanwhile - what's with the $55 fee to run the cable? Mine was free. And I got a $200 Circuit City gift card to boot.
Sorry - got to go. Have to cash out the 401k/403B I have been accumulating since I started working in 1993. I might get enough money to fill up my gas tank once or twice and pay Cobra for the next three months.
Keep nudging Jonas!
Andrea R.
No body piercings, just good ol' fashioned dialup.
Even if Fios is better, my salary is taking hit for the next year, so I did this solely on cost, and that was before this week's $50 fillup for the 4x4.
Addicted to digital goodness? I'm already withdrawing without my DSL?
Both Fios and Optimum have one year come on deals, and it's too painful to change back and forth for most people that can't take the week off to wait for an installer.
Verizon's official policy is that it costs $55 to run coax to a TV set- each. I have two sets, but both runs need to be replaced as one is way too long, and both are 30 years old and I doubt up to hi def. Reportedly, if you are nice to the installer, greet him/her with a cup of Starbux, talk about the metal plate in your head or your pet goldfish that died that morning, and they might throw it in for free if they're not having a bad day.
BTW: How many piercings is one too many? And does it matter where they're located? I can't stand tongue ones, but that's because I was once up all night because of one...
Sorry about the salary hit. :-( Things are tough all over...except for RN's it seems. Crazy times!
Too bad you could not bundle more services. We get a discount of $5 on each service because we have the 'one bill' with verizon. If you add up the wireless services for one crackberry, one cellphone, texting and web for both, two on-star phone numbers, the fastests internet choice, FIOS TV and two good old fashioned land lines - Thats $45 off the bill each month.
Oh - and I suppose one piercing is one-too-many. hehe Someday I'd love to hear that story.
Never fear. I should be getting my early tax refund from 'ol GWB himself soon. What a guy! I get an early anticipated return of $1500 on my 2008 taxes so that my return next year can suck. I think I'll take it and jet off to Curacao to snorkel for a few weeks. It's been a while since I saw a 6 foot Grouper up close. Now thats a fiscal policy I can really sink my teeth into.
Love the blog.
Andrea
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