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From: schuster@cup.portal.com (Michael Alan Schuster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Genie Star*Services flyer
Message-ID: <36316@cup.portal.com>
Date: 29 Nov 90 00:02:06 GMT
References: <19363@rouge.usl.edu> <1990Nov28.181946.20164@cs.ucla.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 42


	>I am currently a subscriber, and I am thinking of dropping. If
	>you are a heavy e-mail user, Genie is quite a deal.  However,
	>access to any of the computer group areas are $6 per hour.  I
	>hardly ever use email on GEnie, and the end result now is that
	>I pay an extra $4.50 or so on my bill, on top of my ever
	>present computer group access prices.
>
>I agree.  Since I have access to USENET and the Internet, I have never
>felt any pressing need to use GEnie's electronic mail.  I did, however,
>use GEnie (and CompuServe) on occasion to access the software libraries.
>
>When GEnie announced Star*Services, I sent them mail announcing my
>intention to abandon my GEnie account rather than accept the Star*Serv-
>ices rate plan.  I have not used my GEnie account since September; nor
>do I plan to.


When GEnie announced Star*Services, I left a long message to FEEDBACK
expresisng the same sentiments noted here. It was answered by a form
letter that described the many benefits of the new pricing structure.

So I called Customer Service. I told them that I used GEnie for the express
and sole purpose of accessing the computer forums and downloading files
therefrom. I told them that I was distressed by the monthly mimimum charge
that, in effect, they had just created. I said I was not going to pay $4.50
a month to look at airline schedules or check the weather in Zanzibar.

I told them that my choices in online service subscriptions were based
on many factors - but that the ability to use (and pay for) each service
for as little - or as much I found necessary (including NOT AT ALL) per
month was paramount.

I was politely told that the choice was mine. The rep reminded me that along
with the "flat rate" (he =refused= to use the word "monthly minimum" even
after my repeated prodding) there was also a drop in the connect rates to
half price. So, basically, at 2400 bps I would break even if I called GEnie
for an hour of more per month. [I'm not sure that I do, anymore]

Anyway, I yelled back something like "if you're trying to turn GEnie into
the new Prodigy you're going to lose half your users" and hung up. I
haven't cancelled yet .... but I'm thaaaaaaat close.