Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!nic.MR.NET!shamash!nis!sialis!rjg
From: rjg@sialis.mn.org (Robert J. Granvin)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Telebit T2500 and upgrade policy
Message-ID: <1217@sialis.mn.org>
Date: 25 Feb 89 17:08:59 GMT
References: <1224@esunix.UUCP>
Reply-To: rjg@sialis.mn.org (Robert J. Granvin)
Distribution: na
Organization: Dr. Ho Laboratory and Day Care Center
Lines: 49

>Well, Telebit screwed us over, sort of.  They just came out with the T-2500.
>A modem that sells for $1600 and has everything the TrailBlazer Plus has
>plus V.32 and MNP 5.  They do have an upgrade policy but get this, its
>different for people who bought their modems before the first of the year....

>It doesn't matter that you have the TrailBlazer Plus, what matters is WHEN you
>bought it. If you bought it after the first of the year, its $395 to upgrade,
>because you need to send the modem back to Telebit to get it upgraded.  If you
>bought it BEFORE the first of the year, its $795 to upgrade!! 

This is not an unstandard business practice.  

You have described a new modem.  People who have other modems (not
replaced, just a different model) have been given an upgrade policy.
Most companies will not offer this.  If you want the new product, you
go out and buy it.  Telebit is being unusual by offering an upgrade to
a new product at all.

It is standard practice to provide different pricing for an upgrade
depending on when you purchased the item.  They are NOT penalizing, by
price, someone who purchased long ago.  What they are is consciously
not penalizing someone who bought _recently_.  When you realize that,
you realize that everyone is charged $795, but because you bought one
recently you're given a break.  Many companies do this.  Microport,
MicroSoft, Borland... The list goes on forever.

The next question is to consider whether you need a T-2500.  If you
did, why did you buy a Trailblazer+?  Do you _need_ V.32?  If you do
now, but didn't then, you have nothing to complain about.  If you do
now and did then, you have no one to complain to but yourself.

The next step is to consider what upgrades are or will be available
for the Trailblazer+.  Let's consider the 5.0 ROMs which doesn't yet
exist.  These ROMs will implement some fixes, MNP 5 and "other
things".  Based on all past information, this "upgrade" is
inexpensive, and is a drop in place ROM that you can do in the privacy
of your own home.  So, this will give you some of what the T-2500 
offers.  Does it give you what you're looking for?

Moral of the story?  Don't just talk to an on-phone sales-person.
Also talk to technical support or another person if the sales-person
can't give you answers to your questions.  You also have to be able to
give good questions.

-- 
       Robert J. Granvin
 National Information Services              Gorn base 2 just appeared.
       rjg@sialis.mn.org
{amdahl,hpda}!bungia!sialis!rjg