How to Avoid the $2/month for not making long distance calls

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Rob Frieden <rmf5 () psu edu>
Date: May 5, 2007 3:57:29 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net, ip () v2 listbox com
Subject: How to Avoid the $2/month for not making long distance calls

Hello All:

My monthly Verizon landline bill arrived with the new $2.00 (plus 11%  
Universal Service Fund contribution) for not making any long distance  
calls. Like many consumers I have migrated most long distance calls  
to my cellphone and know the "casual calling" or "dial around" 10XXX  
option to make inexpensive toll calls.

I thought I had found a rate plan (at 40 cents a minute) that had no  
minimum and no charge to activate the presubscription when I departed  
from another company that had a monthly minimum. Verizon offered a  
rate plan I would never use, but one that coulf offer Verizon the  
chance to offer bundled services and other inducements.

Now Verizon has a $2.00 minimum and apparently no way of knowing that  
I am paying an affiliate of the company a cool $120 a month. So  
wireline Verizon treats me like a low tier non-revenue enhancer not  
worth the bother.

With an approach like that maybe I should join my college students in  
cutting the wireline cord and go wireless entirely. Something called  
the Missoula Plan (telcos like to name rate restructuring deals after  
the place the deal was first conceived) soon will cost wireline  
telephone subscribers $10 a month even before paying for a subscription.

The good news for me was a quite pleasant Verizon Customer Service  
Supervisor who waived the $2.19 and allowed me to eliminate Verizon  
as my presubscribed long distance carrier. I can still access long  
distance carriers, but not with the convenience of 1+ dialing.

Regards,


Rob Frieden



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