Products > Test Equipment
A broken 34470A and Keysight's terrible customer service
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Zenith:

--- Quote from: tggzzz on August 30, 2021, 08:20:31 am ---
She was there for months not years before spinout, but apinout would have happened with or without her.

UK HP employees will remember that period well. Most of us had HP shares, and one moment we had £X, the next £X minus the tax due on the Agilent portion of that £X. Many HMRC inspectors couldn't believe that, but it was true. The split was done in a way that didn't matter in the US, but did in the UK.

About a week before the end of the tax year, it was announced that the tax would be CGT rather than income tax?! Result: most people flogged their Agilent shares pronto, so as not to have a CGT liability. I suspect HMRC and HP had had many behind the scenes conversations.

--- End quote ---

Platt was clearly out of control. It was too much for him to manage, but apparently he was well thought of when he went to Boeing.

The Agilent spinoff seemed like a good idea at the time, and I think it probably was. Although I thought they should have just called it PH, Packard-Hewlett, and avoided spending millions on a consultancy to contrive a name. It was committted to by the time Kali, the goddess of destruction, arrived on the scene. I doubt she could have changed it even if she wanted to.

The share position was a mess for us in the UK. Long before then I found that it was impossible to find anyone in HMRC who would admit to any knowledge of CGT on shares.

A number of ills can be laid at Carly's door, but the Agilent spinoff isn't one of them.

voltsandjolts:

--- Quote from: Saskia on July 31, 2022, 06:06:08 pm ---wanted some spares. Was told by Keysight that without VAT-ID I could not get any service, support, etc.

I found a buyer for my MSOX3054T and my 2002. Will put up my N6700 and my Logic Analyzer Mainframe as well.

My replacement scope is a R+S, my DMMs are now Fluke or Keithley.
Needless to say, won't be buying Keysight for use at work ...

--- End quote ---

While I agree with your sentiment, couldn't you use your employers VAT-ID, with permission?
Saskia:
absolutely not for multiple reasons, many of them being tax laws related.

It's better for me to actually dump my Keysight stuff than to get caught with my pants down.
Needless to say that that's that.
voltsandjolts:
I was in no way suggesting you commit VAT fraud.

If, like you, I needed Keysight parts, I'd order them, pay with my own card, use my employers VAT number and get them shipped to my work address. Yes, it's a nonsense caused by customer-hostile Keysight policy but it's not illegal, VAT is never reclaimed. It's just a number on the receipt.
Cerebus:

--- Quote from: Saskia on July 31, 2022, 07:54:25 pm ---absolutely not for multiple reasons, many of them being tax laws related.

--- End quote ---

Yeah, if you're doing it just to make Keysight happy by giving them a VAT number there's a real risk that it's going to look like VAT fraud (particularly if it involves any cross-border transactions). The VAT you paid out privately could appear as VAT paid out by the company which could reduce the companies' apparent VAT liability or even trigger an actual cash refund from the tax authority.

If I wanted to use my own (VAT registered) company to work around Keysight's peculiarities, I'd have to get my company to buy the parts/service from Keysight, then I'd have to buy the parts/service from my own company, shuffle real money around and account for it all before I'd be in the clear with the tax authorities. Just too much trouble. Doing it with an employer's company would be messy, even if they were inclined to help out.
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