If you still have landline service, did you get your new bill yet?

[napi21]

My bill is always the same because I don't have long distance and use the phone infrequently. It was always $36.91/mo. Just got the bill last night and it's $43.45. I realize this doesn't sound like much, and I won't go to the poor house over it, but I live on SS only and I watch all my bills closely. I checked the itemized bill but they're done a reformat and you can't really compare line by line. The chg. for 911 service is gone but some other add ons have appeared.

Has the phone co. added some new junk charges that I didn't hear about?

[MineralMan]

1. There are many phone companies. Which one is yours?

It makes a difference. They don't act the same at the same time.

[napi21]

5. AT&T nt

[glowing]

2. One major reason I don't have a land line phone thru a phone service.

If you have cable, sometimes bundling your package with cable, internet, and phone is cheaper.. or get one of those vonage phones that runs thru your internet.

[napi21]

9. The main reason I don't have internet phone only is for when the

goes off. I still have phone service to call the power co. I've esitated going to cell only because we have a son in Italy and on most cals, both my husband & I get on the call via an extention phone and cells don't work that way.

I have a prepaid cell that I use for emergencies now, so I guess I could check into internet phone service.

[ejpoeta]

11. have you looked into lifeline? we have that in ny for low income folks.

not sure if you would qualify or if you would have it in your state or county or whatever. if you only have it for the purpose of having incoming calls it would be a idea to look into it. if you have it to talk to your son in italy you could skype too. my sister talks to her daughter in washington (state) via skype from ny. but the drawback to not having a landline is of course landline works if electricity is down and also internet is down.

[chalky]

13. The main reason I haven't let go of the landline is the multiple extension thing, too.

I guess I'd better check my bill.

[Rex]

3. AT&T?

[1monster]

4. My bill is usually between $85 and $95, but the last one was $123. I assumed

that the increase was because I had to accept a collect call that was $29 for the first minute and $3.99 for each minute thereafter. (Talk about a rip off!!!)

But since you've asked, I'll go over the bill and see if there have been any other increases.

[Raschel]

8. That's outrageous. Maybe I'm missing something and don't mean to be rude, but you do know that most

(if not all) cell phones have free long distance? You can get a cheap phone w/o all of the bells and whistles and cut your bill way down.

[1monster]

20. It was a call from a family member who was in a hospital. We did not know where he was,

so I had to take the call.

No cell phones were allowed. Prepaid phone calling cards were allowed, but he didn't have one.

[Frances]

6. My AT & T bill didn't change this month

I received it yesterday.

I keep thinking of going to cell only, but haven't done so yet.

[Raschel]

7. Got rid of my landline for that reason. Too many fees plus how are they going to have the nerve to

charge for call waiting etc. when all cell phones have many features.

It was hard but I don't miss it or the bill now.

Next detachment, cable.

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. Our state has de-regulated the phone company as of Aug.

I would not be surprised if this has happened in other states, since ALEC seems to be the rule of the land now.
You might want to check if that is the case in your state.

We have a 2 year contract of rather low rates for landline/DSL with phone company. I will not hesitate to change
that if necessary.

[RebelOne]

12. My phone service is through Comcast.

And so far, my bill has not changed.

[Lorien]

14. If you have a decent internet connection try Vonage. I found out about it through

DU (don't watch TV) and my fellow DUers are right; it works great and for unlimited calls at $25 a month-including long distance-it's hard to beat. I think there are several other alternatives out there with similar rates, too.

[suffragette]

15. Mine did not go up but I use a separate long distance provider

that only bills when I make a long distance call.
This also means the extra charges associated with that service are only charged when I use it.

[madmom]

16. My phone company ( a local company) had an "opt out" service put on

ours. They said it was free "for now". I didn't look at the bill close enough I guess because they said it was on there. I check the amount due (always the same) and let it go at that. This time it was different so I asked about it, that's what it was. Needless to say I opted OUT!

[kickysnana]

17. There are more scammers forcing themselves onto your phone service.

Give them a call and see it it is service charges or one of these parasites which you can get rid of and get a refund.

[jtrockville]

18. It's called CRAMMING. Check this out (LINK)

Karl Bode at DSLReports.com wrote about this last month, and provides links to an FCC press release and tip sheet:
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/114814

[BiggJawn]

19. My landline was costing over $55 a month.

About $45 for the dial tone and another $10 for long distance "access".
I ditched it when my free dial-up intertubes from work went away.
Now I pay about $40 a month for a pay as you go "burn phone"