Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Wed, 5 Jun 91 18:09:49 GMT From: Ron Dippold Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: MCI's $20 Promotion Message-ID: Organization: Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 427, Message 2 of 9 Lines: 33 In article ivgate!macnet!jim.redelfs@ uunet.uu.net writes: [Regarding MCI's $20 check - the endorsement of which grants them permission to change your PIC (long distance carrier) to MCI] ... > "We" charge $5 (total) to change a customer's long distance > carrier. I wonder if MCI will allow THE CUSTOMER to pay that charge > (out of the $20 check)? I assume so. So the net value of the check > is reduced to >$15. After a period of time, the customer could > initiate a PIC-change to another carrier, incurring yet another $5 > charge by the RBOC. At that point, the net value of MCI's promotion > to the end user is a CLEAR, $10! Not a bad deal, really. It just > depends on how much value one places on his/ her time - to place the > PIC-change order. I imagine that MCI is willing to take the risk that once you've switched over to their service that you will be so impressed that you'll want to stay forever. Not unlike those record clubs. And if they _did_ stipulate that you couldn't switch back to AT&T or Sprint, that would appear as if they were unconfident of their service, and people wouldn't go for the offer because they wouldn't have a choice. So they weigh the risk that you'll do two quick switches, losing them $20, against the odds that you'll stay on as a customer, gaining them quite a bit in the long run, they hope. Standard disclaimer applies, you legalistic hacks. | Ron Dippold