Verizon and A T & T, The Terrible Two of Cellular

As our contracts ended on our cell phones in our household last month our kids were very excited. It would be easy to me to say I find it a little silly, after all it is just a phone, but of course my family and friends know that I have a very close relationship with Suri and my Iphone.

So I get it. Our kids are picking out phones. If they want the free ones that is great, if they want a phone that costs money they need to pay half, we think that is fair.

My middle son was the first to make a decision, he tried to be responsible, he researched the phones and decided on one that would not force him into an expensive data plan.

We were shocked therefore to learn when he arrived at the store to find that he would have to pay a standard $30 upgrade fee. This is a fee that is now being charged by Verizon for any purchase and activation of a new phone. When asked what this is for we are told it is to cover costs of educational seminars in the stores and etc. Love that etc. What they should say is we needed to find another way to make more money for doing nothing. Seriously. Charging us for the sales efforts and seminars that they have in the stores to sell us products.

This is on a line with car dealers who charge you a paperwork processing fee. It is, on the surface of it, a ridiculous thing.

Try to challenge it, tell them you will not pay. They simply do not care. After all where are you going to go, coincidentally all the major carriers charge it. I am glad there is no collusion however. That would be improper.

Banks, phone companies, power companies, insurance behemoths, they are all the same. Every time you see something big joining with something else big to make something even bigger remember that this is all about limiting choice, cutting employment and forcing you to pay higher fees.

I have a very good friend who I told years ago that all corporations are evil and as soon as you understood that you would do better in life. He is a Republican and while I do not think he agrees with that assertion even today I do think that he has a much better understanding of why I say that. The sooner we all lose the perception that any for profit business is out there trying to do anything that improves your life for any reason other than to make money and more money. In short, if they could make more money by making your life worse, and get away with it they would.

This country needs another Teddy Roosevelt. Both parties are dripping in cash from corporations. It will, however, take an enlightened Republican to accomplish any improvements on the situation. Dems are so knee jerk that they cannot be taken seriously.

So here I sit awaiting an enlightened Republican politician. Waiting. Waiting.......