This week's editorial - need some suggestions

[HEyHEY]

You'll see when you get to the end that I have yet to get ahold of the company. So if you see anything else I should ask...or what not let me know. Also, let me know if any is confusing... If I've made grammar mistake I didn't notice - let me know. But mainly just tell me what you think.

Here it is:

Grrr, is there nothing more irritating than "service fees?" After being in Princeton for a little while I finally received my first phone bill. It was over $120. I was flabbergasted. After the staff at the Spotlight doused my face with water, as I lay on the floor, I looked at the bill again... yup there it was - $122.07. Now, it was such a big surprise because I only had the phone for one month. I know few people in Princeton and live close to my hometown, so I often see friends and family therefore I rarely make phone-calls. I estimate I make about 15 phone-calls a month, and that is not any exaggeration. However, to be fair I did manage to rack up just over $10 in long distance charges. As for the rest of it, here goes;

Change in residence line - $19.81
Change in non-published number $1.73
Change in personal voice mail $2.56
Change in call forwarding to voice mail $1.73
911 service - $.14
1 call return $1.00
1 residence line - $22.86
1 Non-published number $2.00
1 Personal voice mail $2.95
1 Call forward to voicemail $2.00
Long distance $10.60
GST registration $7.93
BC PST $.81
Connection charge $45.00

Now, the most interesting thing is the way I was charged for a change in residence, as well as a connection fee. I didn't have a phone registered before I signed up for this one. So why was I charged a change in residence fee? As well, I was charged $1.73 for the ..... I don't know.... 'labour' involved in having my number kept from the phonebook and charged another $2.00 for the actual privilege of not having it published. If you crunch the numbers a little more you'll see I was charged for changes in personal voice mail and call forwarding. I'm still unsure of what those changes were. Upon closer inspection, I saw I was charged $10.60 for long distance calls, but when added up, my calls only amounted to $7.65. So where did the other $2.95 go? Well, to find out, I went to the shills, oops - I mean Telus.
I called the customer service line and the first option they gave, of course, was "if you'd liked to make a payment press...blah blah blah." So, I decided this automated voice wasn't going to help me much.
I hung up the phone and called back the operator, she gave me the Telus head-office switchboard. It was here when I was given the answer "what exactly do you mean?" When I asked to speak with the communications department. Ironic that a phone company employee would have trouble grasping the concept of communication.
I was then given the phone number in the standard automated way, which makes me wonder if they charged me a directory assistance use for that.
So I was forwarded to a man named Peter Harvey. I can tell he is a good media relations person because his voice box was full so I couldn't leave a message for him to call me back.

[HEyHEY]

1. What ...you know it alls have nothing to say for once?!

;-)

[Don_G]

2. If Nothing Was Changed

Then they owe you $25.37 unless it's a charge for the past due amount when it was installed up to the billing date. Otherwise, the basic monthly charges are billed in advance.

You can probably save the $2.00 non-published monthly charge by listing the number in your dog's name. It's there only for those that know you.

The connection charge is probably valid but isn't broken down like the TelCo here does it.

As a former Telephone Installer/Repairman and a Service Representative, the charges (a) don't add up and (b) could have been explained on the bill a hell of a lot better.

You also might want to comment that it's easier and faster to get an explanation of my phone bill from a guy in another country than it is from my local telephone company billing department. (Maybe thats why the US is outsourcing everything)

[HEyHEY]

3. Hmm.I'll go over it again and see if I made a mistake

[Don_G]

4. I Don't Think You Made A Mistake

The "Change" should have been listed as "Service From *Date Of Installation*" to "Day Before Billing Date."

I can't explain the disparity of the Long Distance calls though.

On Edit: It's getting bad when you have to outsource your billing queries out of Canada. I thought the phone company was supposed to do that.

[HEyHEY]

5. If I can get ahold of them

Too much automated bollocks...they love to make it confusing

[Don_G]

6. Deleted-Double Post

[Don_G]

7. Ah Yes

Oh for the good old days when I could confuse you with ONE call!

[HEyHEY]

8. Well I have to say "customer service"

If I want that...but if it's customer service realted to my bill...say this.....it just keeps going. So I am gonna speak to the main man in PR...if he truly exsists/

[Don_G]

9. If It Takes Another Day

Call Directory Assistance for the company HQ somewhere, talk to a manager and "Oh, by the way, this is also my Editorial this week."