Relating to my topic about foreigners and telcos here in Taiwan.
The reason why they ask for deposits is because the plans here are postpaid. You use the data/time/messages (DTM) first, then you pay. If you use what you are alotted, you pay the agreed-upon price. If you use more DTM, then what is alotted, you pay for extra used.
The reasoning behind it is that foreigners should pay the deposit because foreigners ‘can’ rack up the bills and then leave, leaving the company with the sunk costs. While this is indeed possible, (Opinion time) I do indeed believe that the validity is growing less and less irrelevant and is becoming a poor excuse.
Taiwan generally respects human rights. That’s a fact. However, being a largely homogenous society has created a poor understanding of discrimination in Taiwan in and outside the government and companies. Unfortunately, the government has not yet realised that it needs to crack down on discrimination. Companies fear we will take off, it’s reasonable, they can’t chase us overseas, but the methods are just wrong.
Strong anti-discrimination rulings in Canada have forced companies to be innovative in managing their risks. It’s something Taiwanese companies have yet to understand, as they continue to think I am just never satisfied.
They don’t understand that there are ways to mitigate risks without blatant discrimination. This discrimination doesn’t include other ‘risky’ people, including, but not limited to people whom don’t pay their bills, buy more than their means and Dual ROC nationals.
Canadian companies have gotten around this by requiring credit checks for people doing postpaid plans, prepaid monthly plans that disable the function when exceeding alotted amount until the next billing cycle while turning off the taps when bills are not paid and making it easier to tie up loose ends immediately when cancelling.
Taiwan. It’s not that difficult to provide fair service to everyone AND mitigate risk. Pull up your pants now before I pull them up for you. You won’t like it when I do it. Ask Asia Pacific Telecom.