I just got the letter today, and my interpretation is if you get any MSN or Yahoo value added services or use a Verizon email address, you now access these services through a Fairpoint URL and Fairpoint email servers. You are no longer a Verizon DSL customer, you are now a Fairpoint DSL customer.

In other words, nothing has changed, you just type in a new URL from now on to access webmail and MSN/Yahoo Verizon^WFairpoint services, and you change the POP/SMTP settings in your email client.

At no point is Fairpoint blocking the real MSN and Yahoo websites nor blocking you from using MSN and Yahoo directly for your non-bundled-service services.

Slashdot jumped the gun.

Chargeback rights vary by the US Federal law on the subject, not by issuer. I believe it is 60 days.

Actually, the credit card company won't eat the charge... Dell will, and their merchant processor will charge them a fee for a reversed charge (who in turn was also charged a fee by the bank who issued the card). Typically, Dell will pay 10-15% more than the laptop was originally worth if this isn't resolved in a favorable manner.

Most likely, as long as eleventypie has the credit card company reverse the charge, the credit card company will find in his favor just to make sure he keeps spending on that card. If Dell doesn't like it, tough: although they can sue him in small claims for it, they honestly know better not to even try, they've already lost business because of his Slashdot post.

eleventypie, you may also try contacting the Consumerist over this for additional media coverage.