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jduke44 · Aug 5, 2005, 05:38 AM

Not sure if this is the right area for this but this is the closet I could find. Is anyone else in this country sick of being over taxed on our phone bills like I am? Does anyone else feel like we are being double taxed on their bills? I don't know about you but I feel helpless when it comes to the phone bill because I really think just like any other major company they can charge what they want and get away with it. Does anyone have any ideas to come against this and stop this from happening. I feel like the only way to get away from this is to utilize VOIP but I don't have the monye to pay for roadrunner and VOIP at the same time. Does anyone else have any thoughts about this?

fredg · Aug 5, 2005, 06:28 AM

Hi,
I am not outraged, just a little mad; but there is absolutely nothing you or anyone else can do; except get rid of the phone.
For example:
Verizon offers the "Freedom Plan", unlimited calling in the US, and Canada for $52 per month.
However, after taxes, etc, etc, etc, the final monthly bill is $75.
Cell phones are worse, with more taxes added, "passed on" by the cell phone companies.
Best wishes,
fredg

labman · Aug 5, 2005, 06:29 AM

I think you make a good point. My former phone company charged about $12 for basic local service, but again they tacked on all their fees and taxes, I was paying $40 and still only had number only caller ID and pulse dialing. I also had an extremely small local calling area, about half of the county where I live. Nearby by communities were ten cents a minute in state rates even using Quest. The calling area reduced my choice of ISP's, meaning I was paying $15 for dial up. It is interesting that one thing that runs up local phone service beyond somes budget is the federal universal service tax.

Have you looked a cell phones? My children have not had a land line in several years.

I am on VOIP, $72 a month total, for local service, unlimited long distance and Roadrunner. Depending on how much long distance I used before, sometimes my total bill was higher than that, although usually less. I will never go back. My local service stunk. The switching equipment often lost numbers my modem dialed, and I couldn't connect at all some evenings.

Wireless VOIP is coming and may push down rates.

jduke44 · Aug 5, 2005, 10:12 AM

Labman. What VOIP service are you with? Two problems with this is you have to have roadrunner or dsl which at this point I can't afford and I am sure eventually the government will get their hands on this too. I pay $45 for phone service (including taxes) plus $10 dialup (which I am happy w/ service), and I pay for prepaid phones about $25 every 3 months. I used to pay w/ verizon for basic service $32 including taxes. If I go the other way it will cost me $65 which is technically $20 over my budget. Well, I guess we have to deal with it but I wish someone would do something about this. Anyway, thanks for replying guys. It was good to get that off my chest.

labman · Aug 5, 2005, 10:46 AM

I have been with Vonage for 2 years. I have not needed much customer service. I am hearing elsewhere some people are having problems with their customer service.