[Blindtlk] Dictatorial Windstream Communications

[T. Joseph Carter]

Ray,

It started not with Newsline, but with a blind-focused party line.  
Newsline was quickly also included, and then it went downhill from 
there.

Commercial phone lines cost more not only because the telephone 
companies are evil, but because their usage is much higher than that 
of residential lines.  Most telcos impose arbitrary (but typically 
high) limits on telephone calls.  Generally speaking, if your phone 
is off the hook more than on it, they're likely to look at your 
usage.  The word "unlimited" usually has an asterisk by it for a 
reason.

Many phone companies have begun offering fixed-rate long distance 
that is "unlimited" and similarly cell phone carriers typically allow 
"unlimited" free domestic roaming with carriers if they have an 
agreement with them.  If you spend a whole lot of time roaming, 
though, don't be surprised if your cell provider asks you to find a 
new provider, or if your residential phone line gets upgraded to a 
commercial class line or something.

I've begun to be of the impression that Eric is looking for things in 
their terms of service he can construe as forbidden by them.  If they 
are actually telling her no Newsline, then the NFB needs to have a 
word with them.  If they are telling her she can't install a screen 
reader, regardless of where, then she should sue the crap out of them 
and not have to worry about her phone bill for quite some time.  If 
they're telling her that she can't spend the entire day on a party 
line for free, the first actual allegation made, then I'm sorry but 
they have the right to do it.

Joseph


On Sat, Jun 06, 2009 at 10:55:51AM -0500, Ray Foret jr wrote:
>I suspect that this whole crazy thread started with a plea from Eric that we 
>all jump on the band wagon and help this poor lady named Christy who, 
>according to Eric's original message, is and or was being discriminated 
>against by the phone company called Winstream.  The original claim, if I 
>recall correctly was that they forbade her from calling the NFB newsline 
>service because they said it was a data call; and, I believe there were a 
>couple of other things she was supposed not to call either.  However, from 
>that point, the thread rather quickly got out of control and it went from a 
>demand that we all please help this poor Christy by bombarding Windstream 
>with phone calls and letters to trying to get the state NFB involved and I 
>really do not remember what all it got in to after that.  What I want to 
>know is this.  Just exactly what does this have to do with blindness?  I 
>think it looks more like a vendetta myself.  I mean, first we have what 
>looks like an innocent plea for help and then, when we calmly ask for 
>greater specificity, it turns from Christy not being able to call Newsline 
>to her not being able to purchase cellular telephone screen reading 
>software.  Just how is Windstream preventing her from buying third party 
>screen reading software?  for me, this thread began to unravel when some of 
>us indicated that we also had Windstream and were not experiencing any 
>issues.  Emotion is a very shallow minded and bad basis for making 
>decisions; and, it never works when you're trying to present a cogent 
>argument in favor of a case you're trying to make.  It seems to me like this 
>entire thread is emotionally based and there is precious little fact finding 
>going on here.  Frankly, I think this thread is just about at the end of the 
>spool; so to speak.
>
>Sincerely,
>The Constantly BAREFOOTED Ray
>
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