Monopolies

[TheFreud]

One of you AAFES people needs to explain to me the contract/monopolies for on base services. I know they are contracts, and that we are get what we get- because we have no choice...

We have friends off base getting DSL- 6MB DSL for 40 euro a month.
We have Cable modem service- it is half the speed (3MB) and we are paying more than TWICE AS MUCH- 99 Euro!

Who handles these contracts? How often are they redrafted or reviewed? Is there anyone who can negotiate with the cable companies for better deals on our behalf? I find it ridiculous that we have no choice, that the companies screw us- not only because they can- but because the government lets them. I have to sign up for my cable service at AAFES locations- and this is where I pay my bills... So I figured y'all might have some answers.

[K2]

To anyone living on base or off...

You don't have to get ass raped by TKS... If you live on base there is about a 95 percent chance that your live is good for 6mb dsl though TKS for 45 euro a month.  If you want to deal directly with T-Com as I just did you can shut off you tks service and pick up a 16 MB DSL plan for 60 euro a month that also includes unlimited phone calls in germany.  Much better than the 190 eoro I was paying for phone/cable modem service(only 3 MB) though TKS.  They are truely Bastards.

[aw]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41907&archive=true

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41908&archive=true

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43139

I bet AAFES is already looking into all overseas services.

[K2]

I could only wish we were paying 40 dollars a month for internet over the last 4 years.  99 euro is about 130 dollars right now for speeds that are not all that fast. (about 3 mb)  oh well as of Tuesday we will be hooked up to a full 16MB/sec connection + flat rate phone calls in germany for 60 euro a month, from an off base provider... Keep in mind there are no ads, and nobody down at aafes will tell you about it, but they are more than happy to hook you up on base.  If anyone in KMC housing wants the Info PM me and I will tell you how.

Rating of the service and speed to follow in a few weeks once I time to play whit it.  Oh and they give you all the equipment for free no need to buy a 100 euro cable modem that only cost about 40 bucks in the states.

Edit:  All hooked up now and wow is it fast.  We are now saving over 90 Euro per month in internet and phone charges and 6 times faster than TKS Cable modem service.
K2