Another Reason To Dislike Telcos

Reasons that sane people dislike telecommunication companies are myriad. Many of the reasons can be distilled into one concept: Billing. This much for that service, that much for this service; billing for services you don't want or need or ask for; billing you for using their service too much; billing you for cancelling their stupid service contract. They've wrung about as much as they can from the stones of their customer base.

Comes now a BellSouth techexec who wants to add another billing scheme that would seriously affect the internet and ultimately its users: Allow internet access providers to become virtual tollbooths and charge other entities for enhanced priority, speed, and access to other computer users. The scheme could be used to censor competitors to BellSouth or big telcos, and effectively shut little guys out of the game. He called the scheme a *pay-for-perfomance marketplace*.

Well that ploy doesn't pass the smell test or the straight-face test, any more than this little scenario:

TV Salesman: "Sorry folks, you're not on our priority list, so I can only sell you a black and white set."
Customers: "But we want to watch our shows in color!" "We've already invited our poker buddies over to watch the Super Bowl next month!"

Salesman: "Yes, well - I could put you on the list, but we'll charge you A LOT of money just for the privelege of owning a color set, given your sorry demographics, AND charge you thereafter every time you turn it on or off."
Customers: "Every time?"

Salesman: "Well, yes, until you go bankrupt, or die."

tags: BellSouth, telco, ISP, VOIP