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Xbox Live Subscription Woes

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CHRIS MOUTON
FAN EDITORIALIST

I currently own an Xbox 360 and subscribe to Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service. The Xbox 360 allows for multiple users to maintain independant profiles on the system, much like a Windows-based PC. My wife and I both have profiles on the system. Today, my wife attempted to use her profile on the system to access Xbox Live. Her attempt was denied. Upon calling Microsoft's customer service line (1-800-469-9269, FYI) to inquire about what I percieved as a 'glitch' or oversight on my part, I was informed that Microsoft's Xbox Live is only available to the person whose initial profile signed up for it. Namely, only my profile was permitted to use Xbox Live to game online, because only my profile was paying for it.

Questioning the service representative, he informed me that if I wanted to enable my wife's profile for Xbox Live, I would have to pay for her usage seperately, even though it was the same system using Xbox Live, and thus it would be impossible for both of us to be online at the same time.

This is outrageous. I am currently paying roughly forty dollars ($40) for three months of service. Microsoft also offers yearly memberships for roughly seventy dollars ($70). If I were to purchase another three months of Xbox Live service for my wife, that would total roughly eighty dollars ($80) just so that she can use the same console to access the system. For a year's subscription, that's one hundred forty dollars ($140).

Even my overpriced cellular service offers reduced rate plans for multiple lines or users. Microsoft offers no such incentives. Either pay for an entirely new service or use one profile for everything.

How would you react if you had to pay seperately for every person in your home that wanted to use the internet? I, personally, have three devices that routinely connect to the internet through my home network. My desktop, laptop, and Xbox 360. My ISP does not charge extra for each additional device, which can all be used SIMULTANEOUSLY, creating potential bandwidth strain for my ISP, so how does Microsoft justify charging double for ALTERNATE access to their service from the same point?