# More Phone Bill Madness **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 25, 2000, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-phone-bill-madness/26838 "2000-07-25T22:59:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-phone-bill-madness/26838/21 "2000-07-28T05:40:10Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Minxsmom \* \*\* > [@](#): > > **divemaster** , Bell Atlantic is a complete ripoff. My company sits right on the edge of Bell territory and I can’t believe some of the horror stories I hear from their customers.\*\* I agree. \*\* > [@](#): > > We have no responsibility for the wiring inside your home or apartment, because we have no control over what you or the people that lived there before you did.\*\* I don’t know the exact reason that I can’t get a dial tone all too often. I _do_ know that the problem does not lie in my unit. It has something to do with the wiring within the complex. \*\* > [@](#): > > $5.90 a month is outrageous for a wire care plan (but, if your wires are as bad as you say they are, don’t give it up - it’s still cheaper than a service call. Your landlord should really do something about that, it’s his building, therefore his responsibility to keep the wiring in shape).\*\* My landlord is laughing right now. Actually, I don’t even know who owns the complex. Some conglomerate. We do have Miss Ditzy the apartment manager, though. I shouldn’t complain too much. Anything involving maintenance problems are fixed right up. But they won’t do anything about phone wiring. \*\* > [@](#): > > BTW, the Federal Subscriber Line Charge is $3.50 not $10.42, I’d call your phone company about that - that’s a federal charge and I don’t believe the phone company reserves the right to increase it.\*\* Now, Bell Atlantic is laughing at you. What can I say? I called, and they told me the bill was correct. \*\* > [@](#): > > Local number portability charge? Did you request to have an exchange that is different from your neighbors - one from outside of your town? If not, you shouldn’t be paying that, either. (Unless the scumbags are charging you because the possibility to port your number exists in their system (and I wouldn’t put it past them).\*\* Yeah, that second thing. They explained to me that everyone pays for the service whether they use it or not. Everyone gets to chip in! \*\* > [@](#): > > The carrier charge is $10.29? That’s a long distance surcharge. Are you paying that on your local bill? If you are - get it taken off. And, BTW $10.29 is unreasonable. ATT charges $1.99. My company charges $0.\*\* This one is on Sprint, not Bell Atlantic. I called because it seemed that I was being charged some sort of double tax that Bell Atlantic had already covered. I’ve had Sprint for 10 years, and had never seen that charge on my bill before. At least not that high. My long distance bill was normal for me this month; but I think (if I remember the explanation correctly) that the percentage rate that determines this surcharge jumped up recently. Also, I can wire a jack to produce a dial tone. When I got my second line, I really didn’t need anyone to come out. They were able to tell me what my new number was. Sure seemed to me that they took care of this in their office. In fact, she seemed to take care or it while I was talking to her. The only thing left was to make sure the jack was wired up. As I said, I can do this. Well, Bell Atlantic told me they were going to charge me for a service call whether someone came out or not. Flat fee to activate second line. So, they guy came out, looked at my jack. Listened to it with his little phone meter thingy, and said “yup.” I gave him a Coke. They did let me divide the service charge up over three phone bills, so I guess I should be kissing their feet instead of complaining. ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-phone-bill-madness/26838/22 "2000-07-28T06:20:24Z")
Just a general comment: anything termed a “surcharge” is a way to rip you off. Come on, a “surcharge”? Oh, you mean a hidden charge that you try to sneak in, you sons of bitches? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-phone-bill-madness/26838/23 "2000-07-28T13:12:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Local number portability charge? Did you request to have an exchange that is different from your neighbors - one from outside of your town? If not, you shouldn’t be paying that, either. (Unless the scumbags are charging you because the possibility to port your number exists in their system (and I wouldn’t put it past them). From the FCC site… [http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common\_Carrier/Factsheets/portable.html](http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/portable.html) > [@](#): > > **Will all telephone customers be charged for telephone number portability after February 1999?** > > No. Telephone number portability will not be available in all service areas by February 1999. Local telephone companies can only charge customers in areas where local telephone number portability is available. The FCC’s rules prohibit local telephone companies from passing on to their customers any of the costs they have incurred in establishing telephone number portability until telephone number portability service is actually available in the customers’ service area. > > Telephone number portability is being implemented first in major metropolitan areas. Telephone number portability must be made available in other areas within six (6) months after a new telephone company requests that the incumbent local telephone company offer telephone number portability in that service area. What this all boils down to is that you can switch to a competative phone company and keep your same phone number. By federal law, they cannot charge for number portability if it is not available. If it is available, switch phone companies. ---
**Author:** ![ReservoirDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@ReservoirDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReservoirDog)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-phone-bill-madness/26838/24 "2000-07-28T14:32:12Z")
I hereby admit that I did have no idea what I was talking about, although I still think my post was good for entertainment value. Thank you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-phone-bill-madness/26838.md?page=1)