GE>I have been selling cellular service for a few years now. I think it is
  >very important. BUT IT IS NOT A NECESSITY. People survived without cell
  >phones for a long, long time. The Pennsuylvania PUC does not take an
  >aggressive role in regulating the cellular phone industry -- thank God!
  >The free-market economy does a wonderful job of handling that, thank
  >you.
Obviously, your view is somewhat biased.  The cellular companies 
advertising sure gives the impression that they think it is a 
neccessity when they try to sell the service; but the deny it is a 
neccessity when it comes to regulation.  The free-market economy does
not regulate the cellular phone industry in all neccessary areas.  
After all, cellular phone industry uses a national resource.....the 
airwaves and the public telephone system.  About the only real reason 
there is not more regulation is because the cellular companies have 
done a good job lobbying (bribing) our government officials.
GE>Now, if you absolutely positively MUST have a cellular phone, then just
  >go get one. It's as simple as that. If you have to sign a contract and
  >make a service commitment, sign the damn contract and make the
  >commitment! You're the one who claims it's a neccessity. Why wouldn't
  >you want to keep your "neccessity" working for a year or two?
Because I shouldn't have to tolerate extortion (one or two year 
contract) to enjoy the benefits of the neccessity service.
GE>If the cell carriers require you to post a security deposit, then shut
  >up and post it! If you pay your bill on time, you'll get it back with
  >interest. If you can't pay your bills on time, what do you need a cell
  >phone for?
Your comment is a bit ignorant and aristocratic.  I don't see why a
company like Bell Atlantic Nynex should be able to extort deposits from 
potential customers with which to fund it's expansion.  Their credit
requirements are excessively stringent to the point of being ludicrous.
There is no question about paying bills on time; and your question:
"what do you need a cell phone for?" is redundant and off point.
GE>Frankly, I wish you'd quit your whining about how you can't get a cell
  >phone under your own terms. You don't own a cellular phone network --
  >Bell Atlantic NYNEX Mobile does. It's their bat, and their ball, and
  >they make the rules. It's not "unethical" to do that. No one is putting
  >a gun to anyone's head forcing them to do business with BANM.
Bell Atlantic Nynex was originally Bell Atlantic Mobile and established 
with funding from its parent, a public utility and near monopoly.  The
company utilizes a public resource (airwaves and public telephone 
system) to create a profit.  Any other company involved in broadcasting 
has to serve the public good as a condition of their license; and I 
suggest that Bell Atlantic NyNex is not serving the public good with
their unreasonable terms which are discriminatory to many classes of 
persons within their service area.  Nor is it in the public good to 
extort deposits to fund the company's expansion.
GE>I've NEVER encountered any sort of "ethical" problem like you describe
  >with BANM -- or with the A side carrier, either. I've never had any
  >problems dealing with anyone from BANM -- including the folks from the
  >head office in northern New Jersey. And not many people can say they've
  >dealt with people from northern New Jersey who didn't have attitude
  >problems.
Sure, you are just happy to make a profit off of Bell Atlantic Nynex so
you are content to do anything they want to do the way that they want 
to do it.  I have talked to other BANM dealers (one rather large one) 
that have confirmed their bad experiences with BANM.  
CHARLES
 * 1st 2.00 * Quod erat demonstrandum y'all.
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