Telco's 'bait and switch' tactic?

Telco's 'bait and switch' tactic?

The following is a letter from a reader of The Straits Times:

Starbhub recently announced that it will start charging users a promotional rate of $2.14 a month, instead of the usual $10.70, for its 4G Speed Boost "add-on" from June ("Mobile users on contract get 4G shock from telco"; last Thursday).

Like many others, I was enticed to give up my 12GB 3G data plan for the faster 2GB 4G plan.

At that time, it seemed like a fair trade as I did not see myself needing 12GB of bundled data.

If I remember correctly, that was the crux of the marketing message to move consumers to the lower data plan.

Now that many consumers have moved to 4G plans, StarHub wants to charge them for 4G services.

Moving from 3G to 4G is like moving from 2G to 3G - a natural progression in technology.

Consumers were not charged extra then. As a matter of fact, would it not cost telcos more to maintain older and antiquated equipment, should customers stay with older systems?

While consumers can opt out of 4G, can they get back their 3G 12GB data plans?

Isn't StarHub's tactic not unlike the "bait and switch" used by some merchants?

Foo Der Ho
Reader, The Straits Times

This letter was published on April 22 in The Straits Times.

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