isn't this somewhat illegal?

V

vcvc

New member
Isn't it somewhat illegal to force deaf peoples to have to get a voice plan or be forced to deal with double the price of some of the plans?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of t-mobile but I am going through this same particular situation.

It is basically impossible for me to use the phone for any voice based activities so I have absolutely no need for the voice plan and didn't see why I had to pay twice the amount for the unlimited blackberry e-mail and internet when I can't use the voice plan. Because of this, I'm forced to pay $55 a month rather than $35 a month. (I got a $15 a month unlimited messaging and a $40 unlimited blackberry e-mail and internet). I know that I sound like I'm trying to be a cheapskate but the fact is, too many deaf peoples can't find any decent job and still needs items like the blackberry or sidekick for all communications vital for everyone (including job-related communication, emergency contact, and social life).

Isn't this discrimination?

I think T-mobile need to step up in this area of issue and create an alternative price or plans for peoples with documented deafness like me.
 
discrimination? going a bit far there. while I feel for your predicament, I don't feel alternate price plans should be in order. you're basically asking for the equivalent of a person with 1 leg wishing to purchase only 1 shoe and in turn only paying half price and believing the store is discriminating against them by making them purchase the set. some things come in pairs. not to argue semantics, but they are not charging you more for not having a voice plan, but instead are charging users less who do.
 
Please explain how I was rude? Disagreement does not equate to rudeness and I take offense to that. I simply shared my thoughts on what was presented and gave an alternate point of view.
 
I don't think hes rude this is business not charity. People will lie through their teeth to save a buck, hence all the software registration code requests on this site alone. Some companies have offered things like 2500 msg bundles for free in the past, but guess what- once word got out people called and lied and the offers were abused then revoked. So don't be mad at the companies for making money be mad at the people who would cheat someone who might deserve a break (like yourself). Nobody forced you to do anything, its not discriminating its actually them treating everyone equally regardless of the persons situation.
 
Umm, blackninja. So peoples who can't use any of the voice plan would be forced out of the sale too? Isn't that pretty much the same issue I have with me being forced to pay extra price cause of not being able to take advantage of such a "discount".

P.s. The one legged analogue isn't that accurate since it would be impossible to predict the size and side each person would require this making such an accommodation impracticle on a large scale.

Most deaf peoples who uses data plans pretty much have all the needs the same for the phone and it
Shouldn't be that hard (comparatively) to set it up considering how it might be able to be fixed by possibly a simple program adjustment.

~via BB (wap.rabroad.com)~
 
Sorry, I missed the newer post typing up the last one. I know that there is a lot of money making method in the phone industry but when it is as clear as it was that my monthly payment are higher because[\b] my deafness are not allowing me to use the voice plan. I don't see how I am going a bit too far to think of it as a bit discrimitary.

I would love to have this figured out so I can let all of my deaf friends know how to not get scammed into that "loop-hole" and end up paying too much when the plan only needs a little adjustment to works for the deaf.

~via BB (wap.rabroad.com)~
 
that's why I said "not to argue semantics". basically you're saying the glass is half empty and I am saying that you have it backwards and its half full. they aren't charging you more for not having a voice package, but charging subscribers less who have one. example, I have the unlimited msg bundle with tmobile. they charge a flat rate of $15 for unlimited messaging on a single line, but for a limited time they offered it for $10 if you had a myfaves plan. I signed up for it and so now I pay $10. They aren't punishing customers who aren't myfave holders and charging them $5 more but are chopping the price by $5 for those who did apply for the offer.

wouldn't the analogy be accurate seeing there are varying levels of deafness? unlike being 'legally blind', to my knowledge, there is no such thing as being 'legally deaf', just degrees of hearing impairment. while I am far from deaf, there's a small range of frequencies I can't hear (years of concerts). what cut off would they use to be able to decide who qualifies and who doesn't? I think it would be more than a 'simple program adjustment' to keep it from being abused.

but that is just a side thought. my main one is still my point above of tmo not 'charging more' but of some of its customers not qualifying for discounts.
 
My girlfriend and I went to dinner. We both knew when she ordered that she would not finish her meal, she never does. The price of the meal was the same as it would have been for a person who finished it, however. It could have easily been fixed be the manager giving her a 28% discount if that was the amount left on her plate that she "could not use". Of course using our own free will we had chosen that restaurant instead of one serving smaller portions and we were treated exactly the same as the customers who had finished every bite. Don't get me wrong I feel bad that your in that situation. Most of us here are intelligent so make a business case for your opinion. How is it better for tmobile to change their policy for you. Remember in nobodys business model will you find "out of the goodness of our hearts we will immediately bend to accomodate a person in a less than perfect sutuation."
 
If the carrier didn't offer a data only plan - separate from the voice/data plan combination - I could understand your frustration and your desire to get some form of prorated plan.

But the fact of the matter is, the $20 TMo BIS plan is priced based on the fact that a good part of the time the customer will be using the phone will be dedicated to VOICE, not data, for which they are charging a minimum of $39? I think, a month. (Unless it's a second line on a family share plan) Every carrier charges a higher price for their data only plans. Verizon charges $45/month for unlimited data on any of their PDAs with a voice plan. That figure jumps to $60 a month for a data card. No voice needed, or usable there. By your reasoning I shouldn't be charged a higher data cost for my broadband card since all I'll be using it for is data. But the fact that I'll be using ONLY data is exactly why it's more costly. For the same reason voice is cheaper per minute for roaming and usage than data is.

The analogy of the pair of shoes is totally on point. The buyer may have no need for 2 shoes, but the fact is that the seller has no reason or desire to break up the pair. Expecting the merchant to eat the cost of the second shoe just because you can't use it isn't practical.
 
Murfunit, that is exactly what I needed to hear. I think I now understand why a data only plan cost more. I had absolutely no explanations similar to your from anybody at all, including the t-mobile peoples that I came to.

~via BB (wap.rabroad.com)~
 
murfunit you are on point on this one, yet it still doesn't seem ethically correct. But who ever said that corporations have ethics? right?

At some point in this world of ours corporations will be about bettering society not always what's best for the bottom line... but i guess not today, or anytime soon...
 
For a different point of view here. You might do some checking and see if there is a discount rate for people who are deaf. I know the sidekick was set up that way, and was used by many of my deaf friends. Some of the deaf sites have better prices on the Blackberrys for TMO service than TMO can offer. I would check to see on the corperate rate page to see if they have any listig for any deaf support groups you may belong to.
 
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