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Doing that by email is a real dick move. They should send a letter with the last bill. And do it opt in of course. Old people are exactly the type of people th

Doing that by email is a real dick move. They should send a letter with the last bill. And do it opt in of course. Old people are exactly the type of people that would carefully study letters that come in the post. Unlike people my age that would bin anything that comes with the bill thinking it's probably just commercial crap. But of course this is precisely the reason they do it by email. Dark pattern..

pndy 5y ago
> And do it opt in of course. In my case, ISP charges you extra if you decide to keep the paper bills instead going for "eco bill" pdf file send by an email; same goes if you decide to opt-out from company selling your number elsewhere. Last time while getting new contract, 3 different people at local company's office tried to convince me that I can "win some fantastic rewards" if I decide to let them do with my number and personal information whatever they like. I did opt-outed but they manage to sell all my numbers present on account elsewhere and somehow every month around time when bills arrive, I'm getting bombarded by robocalls - either about photovoltaics or central heating replacements. They claim they didn't do it but they can't explain why newly added number that has all opt-outs receives calls at the same time with the rest.
- reaperducer 5y ago
  In my case, ISP charges you extra if you decide to keep the paper bills I'm old enough to remember when banks and other companies would charge extra for the privilege of paying online.
  - Arrath 5y ago
    Oh they still do. Some of them, anyway. Like my electric utility.
- Double_a_92 5y ago
  It's probably still cheaper to pay that small extra fee. I am usually an organized person but in the last 4-5 years I still forgot to download my credit card bill 4 times, which caused a 30$ late fee every time.
missedthecue 5y ago
Precisely the reason? Is it to the phone company's advantage to lose a paying customer?
- Macha 5y ago
  I would say most people, even most people still using paper billing in 2022, have a billing method set up (be it CC charges, direct debits or standing order) that would allow their bill to continue to be paid for their main utilities in the absence of receiving a paper bill. It's these people who the companies would rather cajole onto paperless billing. Then there is the group who are still going to insist on/need paper bills, but use technology enough to catch the email about changing and use the opt out process. I wouldn't say it's a dastardly plot to kick my elderly neighbour off their service, but simple disregard that people like her that would fall through the cracks while they're trying to save money with the first group.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  Don't think of the company as one single highly aligned entity. Probably what happened here was that a mid-level manager had a goal for 2021 to reduce paper billing by X percent. And came up with this as a quick trick to do it. Departments externalise negative effects to other parts of the company all the time. What they care about is their own goals and looking good to higher management. Not the interests of the company as a whole. This will only change when something causes a ruckus and top management finds out about it. Also, the company is not really losing anything, the customer will sign up again, has to pay reconnection fees and will probably be forced to e-bill "because paper billing is no longer available for new customers". Triple win for the company really. Of course the customer can move to another company but they'll probably want to keep their number and the whole portability rigmarole is much too difficult for this type of customer.

pndy 5y ago

> And do it opt in of course. In my case, ISP charges you extra if you decide to keep the paper bills instead going for "eco bill" pdf file send by an email; same goes if you decide to opt-out from company selling your number elsewhere. Last time while getting new contract, 3 different people at local company's office tried to convince me that I can "win some fantastic rewards" if I decide to let them do with my number and personal information whatever they like. I did opt-outed but they manage to sell all my numbers present on account elsewhere and somehow every month around time when bills arrive, I'm getting bombarded by robocalls - either about photovoltaics or central heating replacements. They claim they didn't do it but they can't explain why newly added number that has all opt-outs receives calls at the same time with the rest.

reaperducer 5y ago
In my case, ISP charges you extra if you decide to keep the paper bills I'm old enough to remember when banks and other companies would charge extra for the privilege of paying online.
- Arrath 5y ago
  Oh they still do. Some of them, anyway. Like my electric utility.
Double_a_92 5y ago
It's probably still cheaper to pay that small extra fee. I am usually an organized person but in the last 4-5 years I still forgot to download my credit card bill 4 times, which caused a 30$ late fee every time.

missedthecue 5y ago

Precisely the reason? Is it to the phone company's advantage to lose a paying customer?

Macha 5y ago
I would say most people, even most people still using paper billing in 2022, have a billing method set up (be it CC charges, direct debits or standing order) that would allow their bill to continue to be paid for their main utilities in the absence of receiving a paper bill. It's these people who the companies would rather cajole onto paperless billing. Then there is the group who are still going to insist on/need paper bills, but use technology enough to catch the email about changing and use the opt out process. I wouldn't say it's a dastardly plot to kick my elderly neighbour off their service, but simple disregard that people like her that would fall through the cracks while they're trying to save money with the first group.
GekkePrutser 5y ago
Don't think of the company as one single highly aligned entity. Probably what happened here was that a mid-level manager had a goal for 2021 to reduce paper billing by X percent. And came up with this as a quick trick to do it. Departments externalise negative effects to other parts of the company all the time. What they care about is their own goals and looking good to higher management. Not the interests of the company as a whole. This will only change when something causes a ruckus and top management finds out about it. Also, the company is not really losing anything, the customer will sign up again, has to pay reconnection fees and will probably be forced to e-bill "because paper billing is no longer available for new customers". Triple win for the company really. Of course the customer can move to another company but they'll probably want to keep their number and the whole portability rigmarole is much too difficult for this type of customer.