If you think your long distance company is charging you too much - in flat fees, monthly minimums or ... charges -- the Better Business Bureau, along with the Federal ... ...
If you think your long distance company is charging you too much - in flat fees, monthly minimums or per-minute charges -- the Better Business Bureau, along with the Federal Communication Commission, offer the following options which may help lower your monthly bill.
Call your long distance telephone company and ask about calling plans. Ask if changing your calling plan will lower your bill, based on your calling history. Are there any monthly flat fees or plans that your company recommends? What about other charges for federal and state programs and taxes?
Switch long distance companies. Know your calling pattern. Do you make most of your calls on the weekend? Or are most of your calls during the weekdays? Contact other long-distance carriers to ask about their monthly flat fees and per-minute rates. Ask about other charges for federal and state programs and taxes. You may be surprised to find out that not all companies have the same charges for federal programs. It pays to shop around!
Consider dropping your long distance company. You can drop your current long distance company without switching to another company. If you make very few long-distance calls each month (or no calls at all), you may be able to save money by dropping your long distance company. If you do this, you will have no "presubscribed" long-distance company. That means you will not be able to make long distance calls by dialing "1" plus the area code and phone number. However, you can still make long distance calls by using dial-around companies. Before choosing a dial-around company, do your homework. Ask the company whether any flat monthly charges apply. Also, what are the per-minute rates? Are any charges for federal or state programs added? To drop your long-distance carrier, contact your local phone company and tell them you no longer wish to have a presubscribed long-distance carrier for your phone line. You local phone company may charge you a small fee to drop your long-distance company, the same fee it charges customers who switch long-distance companies, and it may charge you a "Presubscribed Interexchange Carrier Charge" directly.
Why is there a USF Fee or Tax on my bill?
Why is there a USF Fee or Tax on my bill?Long distance companies used to make money off of your USF Fee which is an FCC mandated fee that goes to schools, roads etc... in your community. AT&T used to charge 11.5% and MCI used to charge 12.3% for something the FCC used to charge them 5% for. Since these companies were making a ton of money, off of what the Public thought was a mandated fee, the FCC just changed the rule so that all telephone companies are required by law to charge the same amount, and give it all to the FCC. Read below to find out what all the USF is used for.
How to Avoid Telemarketing Scams
How to Avoid ... ... of amazing ... and ... offers are warning signs of ... fraud. ... to the Federal Trade ... ... fraud now co
Guard Against the Rising Threat of Telephone Scams
Telephone scams, particularly "slamming," where your long-distance carrier is switched without consent, are not just deceptive and illegal—they're also costly. The National Consumers League reports that slamming is the fifth most reported telemarketing incident, with an estimated annual cost to consumers exceeding $100 million. Understanding the tactics used by scammers and knowing how to protect yourself is crucial in this era of increasing telephone fraud.
