Cable and Wireless'Advertised Rates Questioned
Dear Sir:
Here we go again with communications monopolyCable & Wireless:
A local newspaper Friday 24th May 2002 Cable& Wireless advertisement reads:
Cool, the affordable intro to pay-monthly mobile.
1. 20 cents plus toll per minute duringevenings & weekends.
2. 45 cents plus toll per minute weekdays 8am to 6pm.
3. Free incoming calls
4. 6 month contract
5. VoiceMail included
6. Caller ID & Call Forwarding available.
7. $10 monthly fee including activation.
When I called Cable & Wireless I wastold that this offer is for existing pay as you go cellular phonecustomers who want to switch over to postpaid service. Why don'tCable & Wireless offer 20 cents or even say 25 cents a minuteplus toll instead of 45 cents plus toll? That would be more likehelping us.
Why not offer more affordable prices, whichwould stimulate more customers to get Internet and cellular phoneservice instead of hammering those who can afford it? Cellularand email is vital to my business and it is hard to make a profitafter paying C&W for both services.
Another point I would like to make: TheInternet plans offered are too expensive, especially for theirunlimited dial up plan, which is the worse of all deals. We havethe net master plan where you pay $36 for 30 hours of Internettime a month nearly $1.00 an hour if you go over the 30 hoursyou have to pay $1.90 every additional hour.
Maybe when the telecommunications are liberalizedCable & Wireless will be left with tons of equipment and anounce of customers.
If Cable & Wireless really want to helpus, then here is what they should consider for customers thathave dial up plans: Dial up customers should get Internet hoursthat are not used up during the current month added to their nextmonth hours this should apply to all dial up plans.
And it is time now for Cable & Wirelessto give unlimited DSL for at least $50 a month. Lets get on withit before you have to beg for much less because it's coming soonand they know it. C&W should be careful that they are notleft stuck in the mud. Maybe when all their adversaries aroundthe world read this letter by then their prices will get better.
Now comes along text messages via cellularfor 20 cents.
Well, we will wait and see what competitionwill do for you and me.
(Lebbie) JosephYates