AT&T Long Distance Customers Hit With New Fee - AT&T long distance subscribers opening their first bills of the new year may be surprised to see a new 99ยข Regulatory Assessment Fee. AT&T says that the new fee is being applied to help "recover the costs associated with interstate access charges, property taxes, and the expenses associated with regulatory proceedings and compliance." TRAC has long insisted that these sorts of non-tax fees amount to a deceptive trade practice by the long distance carriers.
Inside Wiring Maintenance Plans a Waste of Money - An easy way to save money on your local telephone bill is to ask your carrier to remove the "inside wiring maintenance plan" from your account. Usually, this sort of plan covers the troubleshooting and repair of the inside wiring and jacks of your dwelling. However, it is exceedingly rare that problems with your telephone service are caused by deterioration in the physical wiring or jacks. You might want to keep the maintenance plan, however, if you have a history of inside wiring problems, or if all your wiring is internal or hidden. (The cost of fixing or replacing internal wires can be significant.). If you live in an apartment, condo, co-op, or other group living facility, contact your landlord to find out who is responsible for the wiring inside of your dwelling. You may be paying for a plan to fix wiring that you're not responsible for in the first place!
WIRELESS WATCH
Know the Facts About e911 in Your Area - When faced with an emergency, the usual response is to dial 911. E911 technology enables emergency response personnel to pinpoint your location when calling from a wireless phone. As wireless phone usage surpasses 150 million subscribers, e911 is becoming a serious issue. Unfortunately, most wireless phones and most areas of the country are not yet equipped with this technology. Be sure to check with your wireless carrier and local public safety officials to determine whether e911 is available in your area. Knowing this will help you and your loved ones know how much information to give the 911 operator in the event of an emergency.
VOIP WATCH
What You Might Not Know About VoIP - In 2004, most of the major telecom and cable carriers will be joining established firms like Vonage, 8x8, and VoicePulse in offering residential Voice over IP (VoIP) service. While VoIP promises to offer many features not available on traditional landline phones, there are several important factors to keep in mind before you make the switch. First, keep in mind that your VoIP phones will not work in the event of a power or broadband outage, while traditional landline phones are powered by the phone company and have backup power. Second, when you dial 911 on a VoIP phone, your call is not necessarily routed to a 911 operator. Your call will most likely be routed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the area you were in when you began service who will not know your location and telephone number until you tell them. Finally, in order to take advantage of VoIP, you must also be subscribed to a broadband service provider (usually cable modem or DSL line). With all the hype around VoIP these days, it's important to know all the facts before making your decision.
TRAC IN THE NEWS
Think About Your "Typical Calling Month" When Choosing a Carrier - TRAC was recently quoted in Sally Deneen's "Cutting Corners" column in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel with regards to choosing a new long-distance carrier. When working with carriers to determine the best calling plans for you, "make sure that when they look at your records, they examine a typical calling month," wrote Deneen, quoting recommendations on TRAC's website.(iii)
INTERESTING LINKS
FCC Main Page: http://www.fcc.gov
FCC Complaint Form - http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cib/fcc475.cfm
List of State Regulatory Commissions: http://www.naruc.org/resources/state.shtml
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©2003 Telecommunications Research and Action Center. TRAC grants unlimited rights to reproduce TRACNotes or any information contained in it provided attribution is given as follows: "Source:Telecommunications Research and Action Center. http://www.trac.org"
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