Check your phone bills carefully...

[Budfred]

This article just came out today, if you have any strange charges on your phone bill, check it out:

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,110349,tk,dn042103X,00.asp

[ZURKE]

Thanks Budfred,

I also noticed a $5.00 FCC line charge.
I can only guess that I am not the only one and if so then conservatively speaking, 50,000,000 other homes and businesses should be getting the same fee.
What does the FCC need with $250,000,000 a month, conservatively?

[Budfred]

I've got a total of about $7 in charges that say Federal something, but none of them are FCC. I think most of them actually go to the phone company, but they are allowed to call them Federal because they were authorized at a Federal level... Just another way for the phone company to charge more, but avoid responsibility...

[kayofcircles]

I liked the little note the phone company included in the bill months ago that said that since they had started charging for the "universal connectivity donation" (can't remember exactly what that's called, but do remember saying to hubby that's it's not a "donation" if I have to pay it!), your long distance company should no longer charge it. And, then the long distance company started charging a small amount for it too when they hadn't been previously...?? I suspect it's more "double taxation" than the phone company making money on the sly...another cute way for the Feds to make some money.

I just responded to your "commercial" thread, but this thread reminds me of a commercial my phone company started running recently about how the employees of QWest are all dedicated and patriotic and willing to serve the customer above and beyond the call of duty...lol. They have a guy saying, "I will go out of my way to serve the customer and make them happy." I just want to know how I get ahold of that guy because the phone company has never been all that helpful when I had a problem.

[Rick]

Why are you doing this to me?
Someone Just had to get looking at the Phone Bill again.
I stopped looking at it very carefully after the two kids moved out.


Nothing new or unexpected ..
But I do get a Kick out of some of the Taxes and Regulatory Rel. Charges

County Sales Tax.
Baseball District Tax ( I HATE Professional BASEBALL ) NEVER watch it
State Sales Tax
Carrier Universal SVC Charge
Regulatory Fee
Carrier Property Tax
Federal Excise Tax

To add insult to injury these are On a PER LINE Charge ( I have 2) ( Double taxation x2 )
At least the Base Ball District Tax is Per household

[Budfred]

I have found USWest and then Qwest to be the company from hell. I was okay as long as I only had basic phone, but when I got a special deal from them it took six months to get it sorted out and still occasionally they just drop one of my services without warning or cause...

Those commercials just irritate me after that mess...

[kayofcircles]

The Feds like to deregulate things and then claim that you are gonna have all these choices and cheaper options..always sounds good, but I have never had a choice on the phone company. I looked at my last bill this morning too..and I enjoy the "Custom Choice at discontinued rate" line...probably ticks them off every month that they can't charge me the "new" rate.:D