I've had a lot of good replies, but none so pointed as Carol's. Just as a
precaution, in my letter to DataStar I cancelled the BMA's account anyway, but
in the light of what Carol says below others might choose to follow. On the
other hand you can always just not pay the bill when it arrives.
Tony McSean
---------------------- Forwarded by Tony McSean/Secretariat/BMA on 05/11/99
13:59 ---------------------------
Carol Lefebvre <[log in to unmask]> on 05/11/99 13:07:55
To: Tony McSean/Secretariat/BMA@BMA
cc: "'baker christine (email)'" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: RE: New DataStar Charging policy
Tony
(Please do not feel the need to reply to this personally. Hopefully this will
be one of many responses!)
I discussed this with a member of datastar staff when I first received my
letter last week. She confirmed that it was felt to be uneconomic to service
low-usage customers, but that a credit card pay-as-you-go service was to be
introduced in the first quarter of 2000. I explained that credit card payment
was not always an option, especially in the public sector (eg the nhs,
universities etc!) she also explained that consortium approaches would be
acceptable, as long as there was just one bill from them to one organization
(separate userids would enable internal back-billing within the consortium).
It is important that people realize that these amounts will be invoiced on jan
1st for all accounts which have not been cancelled in the meanwhile. (where
datastar stand on folk who at the point of receiving the invoice then decide
not to pay up and want to cancel their account is not clear!)
I have drafted a letter stating my regret at this change of pricing structure
and advising that I intend to close my account with effect from 31 december
1999. My letter is copied to christine baker, sec to the uk online user group,
for discussion and action by them, which is why christine is also copied into
this message.
Good luck with rounding up the aggro!
Carol
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, November 05, 1999 9:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]
Subject: New DataStar Charging policy
Has anyone else received a letter from DataStar saying that they are
introducing
a $240/year subscription and a minimum $660/year advance payment for usage?
I think this is an outrageous cheek and am writing to them to say so. We have
had a long think and feel that with a little bit of extra trouble (but not
$880's worth of trouble) we can manage just as well without them. However,
maybe a bit of coordinated consumer power might make them think again. If
anyone else is wound up by this, drop me a line and if there is a critical mas
we could maybe organise something.
Tony McSean
BMA Library
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