Geeky Gadgets
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When we sign up for an internet plan with an internet service provider, they normally give us a modem to use. That modem is more than capable, but it’s not necessarily the best in terms of speed, which is why a lot of us end up upgrading with our own equipment.
Some ISPs still continue to charge for modem rentals even if we have our own, but they will no longer be allowed to do this. Thanks to a law that has come into effect on December 20th, 2020. The Television Viewer Protection Act makes it illegal for ISPs and TV providers to charge customers a “rental” fee for equipment that they already own. This includes modems and cable boxes.
Internet Providers Can’t Charge You for This Anymore
Starting this month, your ISP no longer can bill you for this fee.
The federal government has put an extra gift in your stocking this holiday season.
As of Dec. 20, your internet service provider no longer can levy “rental” charges when you use your own equipment such as a modem or router with internet service.
The change is part of the Television Viewer Protection Act, which President Donald J. Trump signed into law in December 2019 as part of a larger legislative package. The law applies to companies that provide broadband internet access, including companies that also provide TV services.
FYI, Spartan.
Microsoft and 343 Industries are winding down Halo Xbox 360 services over the next year. The two have halted digital sales of all Halo games for the platform (DLC is still available) and will shut down matchmaking, challenges and other key online features for the titles “no sooner than” December 18th, 2021.
This doesn’t affect
Master Chief Collection games or
Halo Wars: Definitive Edition, but it does include the backwards-compatible versions you play on the Xbox One or Series X/S. The Xbox 360 versions will still support custom online games, local games and online squads you just can’t use features that depend on services.
ExtremeTech
It’s Finally Illegal for ISPs to Charge Rental Fees for Equipment You Own By Ryan Whitwam on December 21, 2020 at 2:01 pm
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Internet service providers (ISPs) in the US have made exploiting customers into an art form. It has long been legal for ISPs to charge you money for equipment that you’ll never use, but thankfully, that is finally changing. A new law went into effect on Sunday that prevents your ISP from making equipment rental fees mandatory.
If you’ve set up internet service in the last few years, you’ll know that Comcast, Frontier, and others try to get you to use their modem-router combo devices. For some people, this is easier to set up and you don’t have to worry about buying an expensive modem of your own up front. However, that $10 monthly fee really adds up, and owning a modem and router will save you money over the long-term. The wireless per
20 December 2020, 7:32 pm EST By
Internet modems and TV broadbands are among the devices that would not charge rental fees anymore after the Television Viewer Protection Act (TVPA) ended with its six months of extension for leeway. The US Congress law has taken into consideration that people were paying for rental or ownership fees on the devices used to connect to the internet or cable TV.
The good news for all internet and TV broadband cable users is that the leeway has now ended its extension that gave the Internet Service Providers (ISP) more than a year to prepare for the new law. This act would certainly take a huge chunk of users monthly fees and the profits of the ISPs.