Annals of Highway Robbery

My friend Paul just called me on my mobile, a Rogers Wireless pre-paid, to invite me to dinner. We spoke for just over a minute. Because I’m “roaming” in the USA, the rate is $2.99/minute, and because it’s Rogers, the billing is rounded up to the minute, so the call cost me $4.98:

I don’t mind paying more to roam, and I don’t mind paying more for pre-paid, but $2.99 a minute is insane — it’s $180 an hour. Sigh.

Comments

Erin's picture
Erin on September 8, 2005 - 04:14 Permalink

Which is why I smuggle my own food/drink in a purse!

Was the movie good?

oliver's picture
oliver on September 8, 2005 - 04:19 Permalink

Are you sure that photo wasn’t taken in New Orleans?

Derek Martin's picture
Derek Martin on September 8, 2005 - 16:01 Permalink

They wholesale for about .70 cents a bottle, maybe less if you’re a big customer.

Charles's picture
Charles on September 8, 2005 - 18:30 Permalink

And the MPAA wonders why bit torrent is so popular…

oliver's picture
oliver on September 8, 2005 - 19:22 Permalink

Does the theatre have a drinking fountain. Does the concession provide free cups and/or free water from it’s soda fountain? Is the city tap water so bad? Since I don’t believe in the higher virtue of bottled water, I see it just as a rich lazy person’s substitute for carrying a canteen, so where other water’s available, I see nothing immoral about charging whatever the market will bear.

Charles's picture
Charles on September 8, 2005 - 20:20 Permalink

I think they will provide you with free tap water, but the Charlottetown water supply is very, very, *very* bad. Our filtration plant is in bad shape (and currently being replaced) so they use a lot of chlorine.

I think the “immorality” (probably too strong a word for price gouging within a theatre) is that they won’t allow you to bring in your own refreshments, so it’s not really a free market.

MikeCapone's picture
MikeCapone on September 12, 2005 - 00:20 Permalink

I think the “immorality” (probably too strong a word for price gouging within a theatre) is that they won’t allow you to bring in your own refreshments, so it’s not really a free market.”

Free markets don’t exist in this version of reality.

till's picture
till on January 17, 2008 - 08:19 Permalink

I read something that roaming charges are “illegal” in the EU now. Or maybe there is some law coming up for that.

What I find pretty weird about roaming charges is that even though the provider is the same (e.g. T-Mobile), you are supposed to pay more because you are in another country? I mean, roaming could be purchased at 10-15 bucks a month extra which enables your phone for T-Mobile USA and Germany — and that is it. Than your regular rates would apply. (Those dreams.)

Ryan's picture
Ryan on January 17, 2008 - 10:08 Permalink

Got ripped a new one while in Tanzania during Christmas… I knew the call home would be expensive, but not $6 per minute expensive. Spent roughly 40 minutes on the phone spread over 3 calls. Can’t totally blame Rogers in this case, though, as communication in and out of the country is very limited.