I'm surprised this has not been reported repeatedly. Cable modems cost, wholesale $30-35, or less in large numbers. When you sign up with comcast, you can lease one, unless you already own one. Or you can buy one in a store for around 60.00.
If you choose to lease, you essentially pay forever. Or return it. You cannot buy out the lease - even after you have paid three times the cost of the modem.
This affects poor people unequally - someone who didn't have the upfront cost of a modem might well choose to lease one at $5 per month. Howver, when comcast raised the price to $7.00 a month (why? Because they are a monopoly or duopoly, and can do it) the price of the modem becomes equal to 25% of the cost of the service. Your only choice is to return it.
Customer service lies about the issue, claiming the fcc forbids them from selling modems. But terminating a lease is not a sale - or does not have to be a sale, so it is irrelevant.
Since there are millions of dollars involved, I'm surprised a lawyer hasn't picked up on it. Keywords: affecting lower income people; predatory; unnecessary charges.
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