Anybody seen how Time Warner is going to start charging "heavy broadband users?" sm

• Anybody seen how Time Warner is going to start charging "heavy broadband users?" sm - mtmtmt
  • When is it supposed to happen? - I'll switch IPs
    • They're saying September nm - mtmtmt
  • Yep and I'll be leaving them for ATT - long-time MT-NY
  • Link says "page not found", but - sm
    • Sorry about link - it's in the Greensboro News and Record sm - mtmtmt
      • They'd be....sorry....type much??? nm - mtmtmt

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This really sucks as the article said it would impact heavy users only.  My cable bill is already high but to be charged for actual using will skyrocket my bill.  I think I could spit nails right now.  I can post the article if anyone is interested.  They said it will be a trial period.  Anyone else use Time Warner?

I saw this article yesterday in the news.  I back tracked and found a link to it:

Time Warner Cable to Trial Usage-based Billing Scheme for High-speed Internet

We cannot afford a middleman anymore.

If you think that's bad, try living on the 7-8 cents a line and still having the expenses of paying for equipment, etc.

Time to just find your own accounts, folks.

I'm not sure if it puts it in Word or what it does.  I've never needed it. 

I think a program that would pull header information from Word and add it to a log file might be needed by quite a few MTs.  I don't know if that's feasible since everyone's needs would be different.  A lot of MTs like to keep logs though, myself included.

If I think of anything else I'll be back.

I  have a router on my main computer, which also speeds up the connection. Downloads .wav files in a flash. The router also allows The Boy to play his Xbox live in the basement.

I don't have it because of the price ($55 a month), but because I cannot get DSL or cable.  I looked into satellite, but after explaining to them the work that I do, they said that I would easily exceed their limits in probably about three weeks, leaving me with week four totally down (they don't have an overage that you can buy).  I actually spent the time tallying one weeks' worth of voice files to give them an average of what my week looks like.

The weather doesn't really affect my wireless, I have had my satellite go out during bad weather, but my wireless is still up and going.

I would be interested in the cards mentioned, but I live in an area where cell phone reception is hit or miss, so that won't work for me either.

I use two different FTPs and also a WebTop platform for my hospital account.

I don't have it because of the price ($55 a month), but because I cannot get DSL or cable.  I looked into satellite, but after explaining to them the work that I do, they said that I would easily exceed their limits in probably about three weeks, leaving me with week four totally down (they don't have an overage that you can buy).  I actually spent the time tallying one weeks' worth of voice files to give them an average of what my week looks like.

The weather doesn't really affect my wireless, I have had my satellite go out during bad weather, but my wireless is still up and going.

I would be interested in the cards mentioned, but I live in an area where cell phone reception is hit or miss, so that won't work for me either.

I use two different FTPs and also a WebTop platform for my hospital account.

Hi to everyone!

Is anyone out there using the wireless broadband, like Sprint or Verizon (not so unlimited)?  I am currently using Verizon and have now found out the unlimited is not so.  I have ordered Sprint and the USB modem will be here in a few days, but am now paranoid about 0ver-Use on that!

I just moved to a house in the country, with no DSL, no cable and am unsure about Wild Blue for satellite because of the start up cost and then not being satisfied.

Any country living transcriptionists out there with advice?  I am in northern CA.

Thanks for any help!

Hi ..

I need to set up to work away from home and am considering mobile broadband wireless. 

I would appreciate any information ya'll could give me - I know nothing about it, other than most service is 60.00/month ... specifically, what carriers and how much time does it get you? 

Thanks so much!  I have verified the major carriers provide coverage in the area I will need to be in. 

Merry Christmas!

The equipment you have will last for a long time so there is not that much to get into business.  13 cents sounds okay, 1  to 1 1/2 cent higher than I charge but I am out in the NW area.  I do pick up of tapes, printing, delivering, use of "sticky paper" etc.  But I average $30 to $45 per hour depending on the clinic.  I haven't raised my prices in a while as I feel it is good money for me.  I buy transcribers off E-Bay, some last for a long time, some not so long.   I am planning on going digital in the next few months but I don't feel it is fair to pass that along to my clinents.  It is my decision.  Will still have to deliver back printed material.   But you have to get those accounts and keep those accounts so charge a fair price -- the docs have more overhead than we do -- make a decent living and provide an extra decent service and you will do okay.   I have said many times -- my accounts have been with me the oldest now 16 years -- psych account and my shortest is 5 years.  They pay on time, have never had to ASK for my check, never a bounced check, and always Christmas bonus and a Birthday present.  So that is why I keep my prices a little lower and spoil them a little but in the long run -- for five years now -- have not had to look for a new account/client and I know that they will not go overseas.   I have had my share of those accounts that stayed with me for a little while until they got something cheaper and those that were just not for me and so that is why I will do most anything to stay where I am right now until I retire in 7 more years.     I put in about 25 hours per week on these accounts as an IC and make $38 K per year.  So for me it fits just right. 

I was offered the opportunity to type for a doctor that is moving in wiht another group of doctors and need a transcriptionist. I have typed for other clinics in the area, but these physicians only paid by the hour.

I am wondering if it would be in my best interest to see if they wont pay by the line or character. I have never done this before. I work full time at a hospital and will be doing this at home in the evenings.

Any information on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks

My charges for copies depend on who it is and how many copies.  I had one guy who wanted to use me and my little inkjet printer as a personal photocopy shop.  I was charging $.10 per copy to cover paper and ink, but he'd want 20 copies of each page I typed.  Finally, I told him to go to Staples to make copies because I wasn't going to do it any more.  I was driving there every few days for more ink and paper anyway, and he was just someone I didn't want to do business with.

I don't charge my other client for carbon copies because he usually only wants one or two copies.  Besides, he pays me really well and I've been typing for him for 8 years.  When he wants full color copies of digital pictures printed out, however, it's at least $1 per page because it chews up the color ink cartridges so much.

Right now McDonald's in our town starts employees at $8/hour and pays benefits and some school benefits.

I have worked 30 years in transcription and make less now than I did in 1985.  That's 20 years ago.  I know more and earn less.  In fact I am a fraction above poverty level.

If you don't think MQ is getting ready to take us all below poverty level right down there with Mexico City, just hide and watch.  Or rather, sit here and think you are with a "good" company.  I didn't, because they are making millions in profit off your hard work and not sharing a penny of it with you. 

In the old days an employer spread the wealth of the company with the employees who made it happen.  This group has never heard of the concept.

I can agree with you.  I used to run a small "word processing service" as it was called back in the 80s.  I was competing with others and I figured one high-paying job was worth more to me than a bunch of inexpensive jobs.  My fees were higher than anyone else's.  I charged $25 an hour for anything other than regular text, be it medical, legal, foreign language, technical, editing, compiling bibliographies, checking footnotes for correct site within the text as changes were made....  I had more work than I could handle and it was all by word of mouth.  I had to hire 2 others to help with the overflow and still turned down work.  Would have continued except for needing to care for terminally ill father.  I had graduate students trying to book me years in advance to do their dissertations. 

Cheap doesn't work.  Not in the long run.  You do indeed get what you pay for. 

Hey gang !   Today I went my family's podiatrist for  the first time for an ingrown toenail.  As soon as the doc sat down with me, and saw my chart, he commented on my occupation of "transcriptionist".   Within 30 minutes I left his office minus an ingrown toenail, and plus a new account doing his transcription ! 

And this is going to be a lucrative account - 20-25 office notes per day, x 6 days a week.  Yippee !

Question - how do you guys bill your private docs for office notes?  He said some notes are only 1 paragraph, while some can be 2 pages.  Doc said he'd prefer to pay by the page. So should I charge a 1/4 page price, 1/2 page, full page?  How would you guys handle office note charges ?   I will be emailing the files, btw. 

Thanks !

How do you handle an account with a doctor who is constantly changing things?  I'm talking about a guy who will give an entire 4-5 sentences then have you go back and delete and change it.    I'm getting really, really tired of typing it all out only to have to go back and delete and retype. 

Do you keep track of how much you deleted and charge for that also?  It is really cutting into production.  This isn't occasional either.  He does this at least once, if not several times, in EVERY single report.  It is like the man can't string together thought.  Not to mention it is frightening how much things change sometimes.  I wonder often if he is talking about two different patient.