[TheRealSteel]

As far as I understand it, this is about saying a company can't charge you a rental fee for your modem when you're using your own modem you bought yourself. It does seem like a special law just for this shouldn't be necessary.

[zoomablemind]

As a customer we're already paying for "renting" telcos' infrastructure which delivers the service to us. Modem is an essential piece in the infrastructure, without it consumer cannot get the service.

The fact that telcos itemize the modem means it's supposed to be a kind of elective, just as in older days when one could rent a "fancy" phone directly (with a voice-mail indicator!) from the provider. Those were add-ons, with extra fees.

I see no validation for not allowing customers to use own modems. Sure, the techical support fee will be gamed in such case. But at least this will clearly separate the infrastructure from the user equipment.

If modem indeed falls into user equipment category, then the rental must be elective. If it's infrastructure, then it has been already paid for in the delivery fees.

[dmurray]

Companies can generally agree to sell you a product only as part of a package deal. You can't get the Happy Meal toy without paying for the burger and fries. So normally they could insist you can't get the cable service without paying for the modem rental.

Whether they are allowed call it a "meal deal" or a "convenience fee" or a "special discount" or a "rental fee" is more about marketing than economics.

[Talanes]

>You can't get the Happy Meal toy without paying for the burger and fries.

I'm sure your general point stands, but you absolutely can. And in San Francisco, you technically can only buy the toy separately, though for much cheaper when paired with the meal.