Man I just got fucked by the phone company without a kiss.

[tony286]

I canceled Vonage it was a waste of money when we both have cell phones. Wanted to get the alarm in my house reactivated. Someone tired to break in Moo Moo scared the shit out of him and a neighbor called 911 and they arrested him. I was out when this happened. So have to get the hardline turned back on. Just the local line is $17.95,then the taxes and assorted bullshit. Then she tells me its $49 to turn it on. Since the house is all wired its a matter of flicking a switch. Then for the number to be unlisted $4.50 a month just so Im not in their phone book. No wonder people are leaving the company in droves.

[JFK]

Bell Canada was trying similar shit on me, lost all my business

[Dirty F]

Originally Posted by tony404

Then for the number to be unlisted $4.50 a month just so Im not in their phone book.

wtf

[tony286]

Originally Posted by Dirty F

wtf

Almost equal to a third of the cost of the line for them not to publish it. what balls.

[OMG Jim]

Just left THE Phone Company last month myself Tony after 20+ years but I know what you mean about the ridiculous charges. Basic land line, one hour of long distance and unlisted number $70 a month

Now I've got my cable, internet & phone all bundled with Comcast and I'm saving over $50 a month now.
_

[dready]

Geez, keeping Vonage would have been a lot cheaper. I love Vonage.

[IllTestYourGirls]

I can not remember the last time I had a landline phone. Thanks for the reminder why not to get one! lol

[klaze]

I keep a landline just incase the power goes out or I don't charge my cellie... I agree tho the service is wayy over priced..

[Intrinsic]

The little mutt in your av scared someone?

[selena]

I recently did away with Vonage because we hardly ever use our house phone, and I like the security of a landline in case of an emergency.

I must have got in on a good deal, because I didn't pay anything for them to establish service. Maybe because my cell is with AT&T, I don't know.

I have the absolute most basic service you can get, and I think it is $12 a month before they add all the taxes and surcharges on.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by Intrinsic

The little mutt in your av scared someone?

no thats CJ he is in doggie heaven. What he didnt have in teeth he made up in balls. MooMoo is my 60lbs pitt mix, who old toothless Cj used to push out of her food bowl. lol

[tony286]

Vonage and charter didnt seem to play nice together so we stopped using it and we had the cell phones. It wasnt even connected anymore. I wouldn't trust charter with my phone service. I pay for 10mps internet service and its rare I hit that number.

[Peaches]

Why use the phone company for your alarm service? There are about 100 of them in the ATL area and many are cellular so you don't even need a land line.

My phone company just saved me $80 a month by dropping DirecTV AND I get 3000 LD minutes a month AND 5 free PPV movies a month AND I get HDTV

Then we could discuss how the store I'm buying shares it's water meter with another store and even better, has 3 different electric accounts, including the entire parking lot lights and one that just covers 3 outlets, but is on the next store's panel. Oh, and my AC unit is actually located at the store next to me..........Oy. The landlord is shitting bricks.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by tony404

I canceled Vonage it was a waste of money when we both have cell phones. Wanted to get the alarm in my house reactivated. Someone tired to break in Moo Moo scared the shit out of him and a neighbor called 911 and they arrested him. I was out when this happened. So have to get the hardline turned back on. Just the local line is $17.95,then the taxes and assorted bullshit. Then she tells me its $49 to turn it on. Since the house is all wired its a matter of flicking a switch. Then for the number to be unlisted $4.50 a month just so Im not in their phone book. No wonder people are leaving the company in droves.

Most of those fees are set, or regulated by the state. It's a difference in tariffed and non tariffed. I know that land line, non-pub, is more than $4.50 here in MI (with the Bell). I can't remember what it is now since I turned off my resi land service a few years back.

Reseller companies could sell for less because they had some locked in wholesale rates to increase, or foster competition. For example, I have had TDS Metrocom for 5 years doing my business service. I have a T1 voice/data circuit, 3 phone lines, CID, VMS, CF and 800 number for like $211.00 a mo.

If I was with AT&T/Bell, I would be paying more like $280-400 for the T1 alone depending on how I had it configured for voice or data. Plus $18.00ish per line, $10 CID, and I think it's like $7.50 for the other services (unbundled), plus taxes and fees. This doesn't include the price for business listing either.

[Tempest]

Just curious.. How much do you pay for your cell phone by comparison?

[kane]

When I moved where I live now the local power company told me I had two options to avoid having to pay a deposit to have the lights turned on. The first was have someone that had been a resident in the city for 3 years "endorse" me or have them check my credit. The first wasn't an option so I went with the credit check. They turned me down. Apparently my credit was good enough to buy a house, but not good enough to be trusted to pay the light bill. They never would tell me what on my credit caused me to not "qualify". After a long discussion the guy basically admitted to me that their standards are so strict that 99% of the people have to pay a deposit and you only get the deposit back if you are never late with a payment during the first 12 months. If you are one day past the due date on the bill you forfeit the deposit. I would imagine most people never get their deposit back. It is a scam for sure.

[SykkBoy]

I've been landline-free for nearly 2 years now and don't miss the constant nickle and diming

[tony286]

Originally Posted by Peaches

Why use the phone company for your alarm service? There are about 100 of them in the ATL area and many are cellular so you don't even need a land line.

My phone company just saved me $80 a month by dropping DirecTV AND I get 3000 LD minutes a month AND 5 free PPV movies a month AND I get HDTV

Then we could discuss how the store I'm buying shares it's water meter with another store and even better, has 3 different electric accounts, including the entire parking lot lights and one that just covers 3 outlets, but is on the next store's panel. Oh, and my AC unit is actually located at the store next to me..........Oy. The landlord is shitting bricks.

Because all and all its alot cheaper than getting cellular for alarm service.Also I want a rock solid connection to the alarm people if something happens. Cell reception in my house is fair at best. The next house I buy, one of the deciding factors will be how many bars I have in the house. lol

[GrouchyAdmin]

I've had almost 8 hours of inaccessibility with Packet8 in 3 years. I'm pretty happy with that.

[baddog]

Originally Posted by tony404

Since the house is all wired its a matter of flicking a switch. Then for the number to be unlisted $4.50 a month just so Im not in their phone book. No wonder people are leaving the company in droves.

Are you serious? You really think it is just the flick of a switch? Sorry, but you are incorrect.

With 25 years experience I speak with authority on this subject.

[uno]

Originally Posted by GrouchyAdmin

I've had almost 8 hours of inaccessibility with Packet8 in 3 years. I'm pretty happy with that.

I had 2 hours downtime in the past 3 years and i still called to have my bill prorated.

[LiveDose]

I keep a landline for the alarm system reason as well.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by baddog

Are you serious? You really think it is just the flick of a switch? Sorry, but you are incorrect.

With 25 years experience I speak with authority on this subject.

Well when she didn't set a time for the guy to come out and she told me Mon by midnight. I assumed it was internal not some guy on the pole.Please educate whats involved, I figured with modern technology its all computerized.

[BV]

my alarm system is wired to the landline and also it has a cellular backup so incase someone cuts the phoneline

maybe you can just go that route

also if you have cable see if they offer tel service too

my cable company offered it to me for 15 dollars a month. (brighthouse)

they said it works just like a reg phone, can have same number etc etc 911 works

i would still have a cellular backup for it otherwise its easy for a burglar to cut phonelines

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by baddog

Are you serious? You really think it is just the flick of a switch? Sorry, but you are incorrect.

Correct.

Not all pairs are "ready to go" as in your "flip the switch" example. Sometimes there is a pair that is existing, or can be easily routed via FACS, but sometimes it requires a C.O. or outside tech to get your shit ready.

I've been on both ends of this for consumer, and business customers when I worked in telco. That said, I always laugh at the 'flip the switch' people. But I will concede that if everything is good to go on the facility side, a service order can clear the system in a matter of minutes giving you dial tone, or a service.

Keep in mind, I am talking about the midwest, Ameritch Bell, and TDS regions. Not Verizon. Which is important to distinguish because some companies are NOT completely automated. Especially Verizon areas.

[jakethedog]

Originally Posted by JFK

Bell Canada was trying similar shit on me, lost all my business

err where ya from in this frozen wasteland I call home .. ??

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by tony404

Well when she didn't set a time for the guy to come out and she told me Mon by midnight. I assumed it was internal not some guy on the pole.Please educate whats involved, I figured with modern technology its all computerized.

Again, depending on your region or company..

That is just a standard answer they give. You are supposed to due date service orders for the next, or two business days out. So it's a matter of when that order clears the system at midnight.

However... it 'could' be done in minutes, or with a phone call to FAC/LACC 99% of the time IF there was no need for an outside tech.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

Correct.

Not all pairs are "ready to go" as in your "flip the switch" example. Sometimes there is a pair that is existing, or can be easily routed via FACS, but sometimes it requires a C.O. or outside tech to get your shit ready.

I've been on both ends of this for consumer, and business customers when I worked in telco. That said, I always laugh at the 'flip the switch' people. But I will concede that if everything is good to go on the facility side, a service order can clear the system in a matter of minutes giving you dial tone, or a service.

Keep in mind, I am talking about the midwest, Ameritch Bell, and TDS regions. Not Verizon. Which is important to distinguish because some companies are NOT completely automated. Especially Verizon areas.

Thank you Bare I didnt know and Im with ATT.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by tony404

Thank you Bare I didnt know and Im with ATT.

No worries mate.

ATT/Bell South (Atlanta) should have pretty much the same set up ATT/Ameritech does/did. Should be nice an automated for the most part.

[Helix]

Be sure to give Moo Moo a doggy treat for a job well done.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by Helix

Be sure to give Moo Moo a doggy treat for a job well done.

I did and a new chew rope. She is sleeping next to me, she is such a good dog.

[Iron Fist]

Originally Posted by AlmightyJim

Just left THE Phone Company last month myself Tony after 20+ years but I know what you mean about the ridiculous charges. Basic land line, one hour of long distance and unlisted number $70 a month

Now I've got my cable, internet & phone all bundled with Comcast and I'm saving over $50 a month now.
_

$19.99 a month for a year deal?

That is actually a pretty sweet deal... wish I had that kind of promo here in Canada.. i'd be all over it.

[baddog]

Originally Posted by tony404

Well when she didn't set a time for the guy to come out and she told me Mon by midnight. I assumed it was internal not some guy on the pole.Please educate whats involved, I figured with modern technology its all computerized.

They possibly can hook you up with what is called a "home run." That would be the ideal situation.

In order for it to be a home run there would have to be continuity on your line from the central office to the protector on the outside of your home.

Even if they can do a home run you had to talk to the customer rep, who will turm the order over to assignment to insure that the records now reflect that this new phone number is assigned to your home.

Then they have to turn it over to a billing department, and to someone in the central office to actually input the commands so the switch knows to assign your phone number to the HID (hardware identifier). Then someone has to insure that the dial tone with your number on it is leaving on the proper cable pair.

The above description is a bare bones idea of what has to happen. There is going to be at least 3 or 4 different departments involved and telephone company employees are not at minimum wage.

Complain all you want, but telephone service is one of the best deals out there.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by baddog

They possibly can hook you up with what is called a "home run." That would be the ideal situation.

In order for it to be a home run there would have to be continuity on your line from the central office to the protector on the outside of your home.

Even if they can do a home run you had to talk to the customer rep, who will turm the order over to assignment to insure that the records now reflect that this new phone number is assigned to your home.

Then they have to turn it over to a billing department, and to someone in the central office to actually input the commands so the switch knows to assign your phone number to the HID (hardware identifier). Then someone has to insure that the dial tone with your number on it is leaving on the proper cable pair.

The above description is a bare bones idea of what has to happen. There is going to be at least 3 or 4 different departments involved and telephone company employees are not at minimum wage.

Complain all you want, but telephone service is one of the best deals out there.

Not sure what telco that service order process description fits. But I know it certainly wasn't for the two I worked for... TDS Metrocom, or Ameritech/ATT.

Fucking damn.

That sounds like the old days. I worked in telco in the past 15, and it was a lot more automated that your description and a person was not involved every step of the way with manual entries.

[undersoul]

very cute dog in your avatar tony

[tony286]

Originally Posted by undersoul

very cute dog in your avatar tony

Thank you I miss that old bastard. He had so much character, the only one of my three dogs that's tattooed on my arm.