Smart Choice users in for a shock

THE EDITOR: When will TT get another company offering telecommunications services? I cannot believe that the appropriate authorities are allowing TSTT to get away with their latest offer. TSTT is offering a service called Smart Choice but in doing so are making an effort to eliminate other Internet service suppliers from the market. As the only telephone service TSTT already has an advantage in that they can offer toll free access to their Internet service. Now in an effort to eliminate the other services they are offering Smart Choice. Note that the fine print states that calls to any other Internet supplier will be charged at 20 cents per minute.

Think of it, if one has a 50-hour package then the cost of using the full 50 hours for the month will be a whopping $600 ($12 per hour) in telephone bills plus the $100 or so that one will pay to the Internet supplier with no time limit on the call. This compares to a charge of 23 cents for each call to an Internet supplier with no time limit on the call. This is a really Smart Choice for TSTT since you will, in addition, pay between $100 to $250 for the Smart Choice service. This, of course, will cause subscribers to immediately change their Internet service and move to toll-free TSTT. Whether one changes their Internet supplier or not TSTT wins. This is a monopoly that should not be permitted. Some poor person or persons are going to get a severe shock when they receive a Smart Choice bill for $400 or $500 after expecting to save money with the service.

NJURU BEARD
Barataria