Have you ever wondered what all those fees on your phone bill are?

[Blue_Roses]

...and are they REALLY necessary? I swear, just got my phone bill and it seems that the "fees" and "taxes" DOUBLE each time this sucker comes out! What is a "Municipal Right-of-Way" fee? and there are TWO "Universal Service Fees"--no wait, THREE, of these. One for federal, state, and VLD!!!
Also, there's a city "crime control," PLUS the ongoing "911" fee, AND an "emergency svc chg"...! :argh:
:wtf:

[Donnachaidh]

1. I've gotten into arguments with AT&T over this.

And I still don't understand WHY I'm paying all those frigging fees.

[Blue_Roses]

2. aren't they redundant?

they duplicate one another:argh:

[Lerkfish]

3. actually, its simple: rate commissions prevent them from raising the actual costs without oversight

so they boost frivolous fees instead, which are not subject to oversight.

[Phentex]

4. even if you know what they are...

you can't challenge them or change them. A flat fee for them I can understand, but there doesn't appear to be a formula each month.

[nebenaube]

5. Simple...

You think the wiretaps are free?

[Blue_Roses]

7. lol

nt

[endarkenment]

6. There are only two categories of fees on my bills:

1) rapage - charged directly by the provider.
2) pillage - 'pass thru' charges from the kleptocracy.

applies to: electric, cable, landline, cell, etc.

[The Straight Story]

8. Magic Jack, $25/year unlimited calling

And pre-pay cell phone :)

[BuelahWitch]

9. Magic Jack really works?

[The Straight Story]

11. yep, been using it for months

acts up once in awhile, just reboot the app and good to go.

[ejpoeta]

12. yes. i have it as well. just a word of caution.....

you do not want to put it straight into the usb port because it can't really support itself without breaking. ours broke, and they refused to replace it because 'we broke it', even though it was within the warranty period. bob ordered a new one and this time we made sure to use a long corded usb adapter so that the device can rest on something. but other than that, for what we use it for, which isn't much.... just so we have something here so if my daughter gets home before me she can call me. i have also used it to make calls for appointments and such when my cell is not at hand or is charging or something.

it's worth it for the price. just know that customer service is nil.

[Donnachaidh]

13. and who do you have the net access required for magic jack from?

The ads are lovely - but don't really mention you need net access for it to work. So you're actual phone charges should include that charge as well, don't you think?

[The Straight Story]

16. WowWay

Most folks have inet access, but yes they should make it a little more clear.

[BuelahWitch]

10. I always heard they were to provide service in rural areas

At least that's what Verizon Wireless told us to tell people when I worked for them back in the day.

[Wednesdays]

14. K&R

:kick:

[applegrove]

15. I've been paying $50 a month for my internet connection to the phone company. Despite

my calls and request to receive some bills (they did send me 4 in November because I requested back bills when I wasn't getting any in the summer fall last year)they didn't send me a bill all winter/spring. Then the bill collection part of Bell Canada called me and told me I owed $140.00. So I paid it. Don't know why the bills were over $50.00 a month. How could I know they didn't send me bills. So now I have requested that they send me last months bill. And for the third time I have given them my new address (when I called the bill collection agency they told me they only had my address from last year which is bullshit since they had a guy come in and hook up my internet at the new address in July last year and they had sent me 4 bills in November to this new address).

I am at a complete loss as to what is going on.

[anigbrowl]

17. Google them

you'll find they're (almost) always imposed by law. Fortunately I don't get a phone bill...I pay a low flat monthly fee for cellphone service with no contract (metroPCS). Yes, they really are that good.