A week ago I received an unhappy notification from my DSL provider. My one-year trial period was about to be over and they were switching me to the regular monthly price. As consolation they would give me a small price break if I visited a special Web page that they had set up for me to register there. So much for that consolation, the price was over 75% the rate I was paying thus far.
Hard to believe, but it's been almost a year that I finally bid dialup a long farewell and switched to broadband. At that time, my phone company was running a special on DSL and with a one-year commitment, I took the bait. The thought was that by the time I was up for a renewal, competition from other sources, such as cable, would bring prices down and I won't have pay a lot more when I renew. Worst case, I could switch back to dialup if all else failed.
What I didn't count on was that broadband was too addictive and I would never be able to go back to dialup. Even if I did, my family would have my head served on a platter if I subjected them to the painfully slow speed of dialup. There was no turning back, and the broadband providers realize that all too well. It's not unlike the friendly drug dealer that provides the first few hits for free, only to get you addicted and start charging the big bucks on subsequent deliveries.
Instead of following the letter's instructions, I decided to call up my phone company and see about alternatives. They are still peddling their DSL services at low prices, so my plan was to cancel my service and restart it anew with the introductory price. Instead, the friendly operator told me to ignore the letter and she cheerfully signed me up for a new plan with a faster speed and a lower monthly price to boot.
The next time you receive a renewal notice for your broadband or whatever else you might be subscribed to, consider contacting the company and inquiring about your options. You might be pleasantly surprised, as I was, at what the companies might offer to keep you as a customer.
Give a few Sats