XT Non-stop text - Fair Use policy??

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › XT Non-stop text - Fair Use policy??

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boby55

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#395247 24-Oct-2010 15:47

zjod: I understand why the Fair Use Policy is in place HOWEVER I believe that the Telecom offer is not consistant with imposing the Fair Use Policy. This is because;

1) they cannot advertise 0.5cent per text, unless they feasibly would allow a user to use all 2500 txt messages under some form of Fair Use. If there are NO circumstances where a user will be allowed to use the full 2500 txt messages under Fair Use; then they cannot market the plan as 0.5c per text. The plan should be marketed under basic "historical use level", the same level they use to determine fair use.
i.e. if historically and average use is 100txt per month then the plan actually costs 12c pertxt.

2) and, the Fair Use policy is based on historical data and there is no historical data for this type of plan.

I do not believe that Telecom's behaviour would be changed unless this is tested in a court. Advertising standards authority could be used for point 1), BUT point 2) would only succeed if you could argue that your plan dictates your texting behaviour, there fore there is no historical data that is relevant.

This is my response to them if I am pulled up on the level of my txt use.

They 0.5c Per text they advertise is for their $12 for 2500 txt plan, Not Non Stop Text.

Talkiet

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#395748 26-Oct-2010 11:57

Chuckle... 15000 texts?

Some quick maths shows that it's about 1 text every 2 minutes of waking time (assuming 8 hours sleep) for the whole month. I'm not the quickest texter in the world, but let's assume 20 seconds to pick up the phone, compose the text and send it.

That's 1/6 of your entire life for the month texting. Not eating, driving, working, going to school, watching TV, using a computer, playing sports, talking with friends (IRL!), phoning your mum or even playing with pets.

83 hours per month texting, or nearly 3 hours per day.

I'm not saying it's not possible, and I'm not getting into the argument on whether the fair use policy is appropriate, but personally I can't understand this level of usage.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

NonprayingMantis

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#395751 26-Oct-2010 12:05

Talkiet: Chuckle... 15000 texts?

Some quick maths shows that it's about 1 text every 2 minutes of waking time (assuming 8 hours sleep) for the whole month. I'm not the quickest texter in the world, but let's assume 20 seconds to pick up the phone, compose the text and send it.

That's 1/6 of your entire life for the month texting. Not eating, driving, working, going to school, watching TV, using a computer, playing sports, talking with friends (IRL!), phoning your mum or even playing with pets.

83 hours per month texting, or nearly 3 hours per day.

I'm not saying it's not possible, and I'm not getting into the argument on whether the fair use policy is appropriate, but personally I can't understand this level of usage.

Cheers - N

I too think it is crazy high, however your calculation are based on the asusmption that the OP only sends txts to one person at a time. Lots of phones have capability for txting multiple users at once, and lots of people use this functionality.

I know my (former) rugby coach used this a lot to send out txts to the team e.g. "training cancelled tonight boys" or "don't forget our court session tonight at 5pm at the club" sent to 30+ people at once.

having said that, 15k txts is still ridiculous.

kingjj

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#395830 26-Oct-2010 15:14

The OP and his friend can argue deceptive advertising all they like but they did agree to the Fair Use Policy when they signed up so tough. I hope his friend gets his plan cancelled and moved to a lower usage plan, it would send a good message that nothing is "non stop" or "unlimited" in this world, especially for $12 a month. The idea of the Non Stop plan was to provide one set cost each month so that people did not have to worry about abnormal usage one month causing their costs to increase. Consistently sending large quantities of text's above and beyond the consumer norm is not in the spirit of this.

Besides, if you look in the T's & C's I'm sure you'll see a clause allowing Telecom to alter or change a customers plan without warning or reason.

scuwp

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#395858 26-Oct-2010 15:59

kingjj: The OP and his friend can argue deceptive advertising all they like but they did agree to the Fair Use Policy when they signed up so tough. I hope his friend gets his plan cancelled and moved to a lower usage plan, it would send a good message that nothing is "non stop" or "unlimited" in this world, especially for $12 a month. The idea of the Non Stop plan was to provide one set cost each month so that people did not have to worry about abnormal usage one month causing their costs to increase. Consistently sending large quantities of text's above and beyond the consumer norm is not in the spirit of this.

Besides, if you look in the T's & C's I'm sure you'll see a clause allowing Telecom to alter or change a customers plan without warning or reason.

+1 from me, nicely put kingjj

Humans seem to be losing the fine art of being "reasonable" and the ability to apply "common sense" to these things. But then I guess schools and many parents don't teach that nowadays do they. 15000 txt's? cmon, pick up the phone and have a real live conversation! If you abuse the service then you risk losing it for yourself and possibly everyone else.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

freitasm

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#395861 26-Oct-2010 16:04

I was asked by the OP to lock this thread.

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