Phone Bills | FerrariChat

Phone Bills

Discussion in 'Technology' started by PeterS, Dec 31, 2005.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 24, 2003
    47,932
    Goodyear, AZ
    Full Name:
    PeterS
    I'm just about ready to puke:

    Business line: About $80 per month.
    Line #2, fax: About $60 per month
    Home line: About $75 per month
    Cell: About $130 per month
    Other cells*: About $110 per month
    Business answering service: $70+ per month.

    * Local cell phones for Melodie, her son and daughter.

    I've got $525+ per month and it sucks! All of the phone are not used in a crazy manner. When I look at the bills, it seems that half the costs are 'garbage charges' like basic fee, taxes, charges for the hearing impared, George Washington farted on Sunday fee, etc, etc. etc!

    I think the phone companies tout their low rates and nail you with all the garbage fees to bump the bills to a pathetic degree!
     
  2. BWS550

    BWS550 Wants to be a mod

    Apr 1, 2002
    8,933
    NEW JERSEY
    Full Name:
    BRUCE WELLINGTON


    PETER


    MY FAX LINE WITH VERIZON 15.00/ MONTH
    NO ANSWERING SERVICE FOR ME....CALL FORWARDING PER MONTH TO MY CELLY IF OUT OF THE OFFICE.... 10.00


    G/FS SON AND DAUGHTER USE....MAKE THEM PAY A PORTION


    THAT SHOULD HELP...


    BRUCEY
     
  3. REMIX

    REMIX Two Time F1 World Champ

    VOIP!!

    VOIP!!

    Went from $50 fax line charge + a $70 Verizon voice phone bill to $39 a month (for both) thru Vonage. Been good so far. I've had this setup since summer of '04.

    RMX!!!
     
  4. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2005
    1,826
    If you are operating a business, the phone company will kick your butt in as many ways as possible.
     
  5. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
    13,337
    Ex-Urbia
    Full Name:
    Jack
    What he said. We switched to Vonage last February after getting tired of $70+ phone bills. $16/month gets us 500 long distance minutes, which is about 490 more than we actually need. I had been trying to get SBC to give us a better rate, which they refused. And once we switched they bugged us 10 times a day trying to get us back, offering different deals. Blow me.
     
  6. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 24, 2003
    47,932
    Goodyear, AZ
    Full Name:
    PeterS
    Is a high-speed connectioned needed for VIOP? My only option at my office is dial-up.
     
  7. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    VoIP is possible over dialup but you'll be more frustrated than not. Plus, if you're forced to use a landline the benefits might not be that great since you have to pay for a line as it is.

    --Dan
     
  8. Samimi

    Samimi Formula 3

    Oct 17, 2005
    1,699
    North of the 49th
    Full Name:
    S.
    I read it slow hoping there was going to be a funny comment and the end, saying Priceles!! :(
     
  9. southerncharm

    southerncharm Karting

    Dec 21, 2005
    50
    Haven't had a home phone in years.

    Cellular w/ additional family member phones cost me about $130/month. I have 1400 minutes/month prime time, free nights and weekends. Any non-business calls received from 9~5, M~F better be a death notice or you calling me from another Verizon Wireless cellular so your call is a free "in network call".

    I use www.efax.com for $13/month for fax purposes.

    I am still trying to figure out how the phone companies managed to make you pay to receive calls, as in, using up your cellular minutes. On a land line you receive calls free, how did cellular service bypass this custom?
     
  10. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    The US is the only country I've come across where this is the case. No other country / provider that I am aware of has this problem (don't recall for Canada, but I believe they follow US style setup).

    --Dan
     
  11. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 24, 2003
    47,932
    Goodyear, AZ
    Full Name:
    PeterS
    OK: Peter going postal and burning down the local phone company office, Priceless!
     
  12. REMIX

    REMIX Two Time F1 World Champ

    I was skeptical about the Vonage thing at first, but it works great. I regularly call friends in New Zealand for as little as $2 or so for 45 minutes.

    $25 buys you unlimited LD in NA, CA and PR. It's sweet.

    RMX
     
  13. Bryan

    Bryan Formula 3

    Is high-speed available in your area?

    High-speed plus VOIP is still less than what you are paying by a bunch of money.
     
  14. Ike

    Ike F1 Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    3,543
    My cell phone bill has gone nuts since I "migrated" from at&t to cingular. I was forced to because of the take over. My bill was never over $110 when I was with at&t except for the odd month that I would go over a lot. I am now on a plan with many more minutes at roughly the same monthly fee and last months bill was about $200 and this months was $330.

    And there is always a problem with the bill, of course they correct but you have to call them to get it fixed. It is almost worth paying whatever the mistake is not to have to talk to them.
     
  15. ylshih

    ylshih Shogun Assassin
    Honorary Owner

    Mar 21, 2004
    19,803
    Northern CA
    Full Name:
    Yin
    Maybe you need to do some consolidation and price shopping? I have 2 home lines (with local & intl long distance low-price services) and 4 cell phones (family plan) and pay less than $150/month total.
     
  16. Dino Martini

    Dino Martini F1 Rookie

    Dec 21, 2004
    4,619
    Calgary Alberta
    Full Name:
    Martin
    lol..
     

Share This Page