Unwanted phone charges raising consumer ire

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Bob Frankston <Bob19-0501 () bobf frankston com>
> Date: March 30, 2010 9:29:41 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Subject: Unwanted phone charges raising consumer ire

> http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2010/03/30/unwanted_phone_charges_raising_consumer_ire/?s_campaign=8315
>
>
>
> Mike Cunningham’s monthly phone bill is a crazy-quilt of fees, surch 
> arges, and taxes, so it took nearly two years for him to notice “enh 
> anced voice mail’’ charges of $14.95 and $13.22 tucked into pages  
> five and six.
>
>
>
> After reviewing statements back to December 2008, Cunningham found  
> he had paid $567 to two companies whose names he didn’t recognize. E 
> ven worse, he had no idea what he’d bought.
>
>
>
> . . . discussion of how third parties got access to the Verizon  
> billing engine …
>
>
>
> ILD and Enhanced Billing credited Cunningham’s account for $424.06 a 
> nd $142.96, respectively. ILD said it did so immediately after learn 
> ing his grandson was a minor.
>
>
>
> Both companies said they would never bill someone for services they  
> did not want, though Olayan added that ILD sent Cunningham $1,000  
> worth of coupons as part of the deal. “That’s a lie,’’  
> Cunningham said in response.
>
>
>
> Cunningham said he now wants to drop Verizon Wireless, but can’t jus 
> t yet. Instead of issuing him a $567 refund, the companies issued hi 
> m a credit that can only be applied to his Verizon bills.
>
>
>
> “It’s like salt in the wound,’’ he said. “I can’t leave.  
> I’m a captive audience.’’
>
>
>
> * * * * * * * * *
>
>
>
> This is a reminder of why ATT failed as credit card company.
>
>
>
> I’ve already written about my own experience Verizon. After all, wha 
> t is a phone company but a billing engine – one designed for 19th ce 
> ntury telegraphy (hence message units). No wonder 900 numbers failed.
>
>
>
> With little ability to create value itself (bits are just bits) it  
> continues to try to wheedle money out of customers however it can.  
> All-the-more reason to deconstruct it so we can fund infrastructure  
> as infrastructure and choose what services we choose to pay for  
> while retaining control over our relationships with suppliers.



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