Sunday, April 25, 2021

Farewell to Thee, AT&T

So if you go back a couple years ago, I finally was able to get fiber optic internet installed through AT&T. You might also recall about a year ago I did a comic depicting AT&T as a demonic monster when they tried to double bill me for a month. This year I was a little more prepared… or so I thought.

So I was watching the dates very carefully, and there were a number of options available for me to choose from for when my current “deal” ran out. All I wanted was to keep my internet cost at $50.00 or less, and it looked like there was even a $40/month option. I was feeling pretty good. I was on top of things, and I wasn’t going to let them upset me like they did last year.

And then it happened.

At the beginning of April, all the other options just vanished. No other plans were available. There was only the 1 Gigabit plan that I was currently on, and that was increasing to $70/month in May. I frantically kept clicking on different things, but to no avail. Their website was making it abundantly clear that I no longer had any other options.

So I called them. I chatted with the nice man, who transferred me to the nice woman, and they did offer to drop the price down to $60/month, but I politely wasn’t having any of it. My landline internet is scheduled to be terminated around the beginning of May.

The good news is, I had finally found my LB1120. (I lost track of it over a year ago.) It was a good thing I found it too, since it looks like they are getting scarce.

As fate would have it, I recently acquired a new cell phone for use in the event that I took the delivery job with Amazon. I had also signed up with a new MVNO called “Tello”. I popped their SIM card in the LB1120 and turned it on. After a few minutes the lights turned green and I was able to go in and adjust the settings. Next thing you know, I had internet access.

Previously I was using Mint Mobile, but Tello has an “unlimited” 25 Gigabyte plan for $40/month. Now I know that most of you would scoff at the notion that anyone could get by on a mere 25GB per month, but let me assure it can be done.

Now using Tello in this way is kind of against their TOS, so once they catch on, I will probably have to switch back to Mint Mobile. Fortunately Mint’s $25/month plan now affords 15 Gigabytes per month. Two of those will give me 30GB/month for $50. Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that I have to keep swapping the SIM cards out twice a month, I could happily live with that service and never bat an eye.

Still, I only need to use this setup just long enough for AT&T to come to their senses and offer me their services at a REASONABLE rate… That being $50 or less per month. Ma Bell, why do you have to play such games?

And no, I still haven’t forgiven Spectrum, and I would not consider them even if they were the ONLY option. They continue to send me junk mail several times a week trying to get me to sign up for their TV and internet package. Seriously, I think they spend more money on junk mail than they do on maintaining their network.

But seriously, I believe that high speed internet at home should not cost more that $30 per month. Full stop. These internet companies are screwing people, and I think it is disgusting. I could see $40 a month, and I’ll even tolerate $50/month, but beyond that is just criminal.


Kudos

The submission page remains open. Thanks as always to our contributors. See you next week!

Pax,

-f2x

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