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Replying To:
Won't get fooled again[ Parent ] (none / 0) (#6)
by Anonymous User on Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 09:06:14 AM PDT

I saved the letter from BellSouth, and looked for it again when I read this story. Mine says,

"This letter is to inform you that beginning in April BellSouth will charge a regulatory cost recovery fee of $2.97 per month for FastAccess DSL service. This regulatory cost recovery fee is not a tax of charge imposed by a government entity.

The fee will help to offset the increased cost BellSouth incurs in providing FastAccess DSL service."

I cut out the non-relevant parts, but the rest of the language tries to confuse the reader into thinking this is the USF tax from the government, and is going to be used to provide phone service to rural areas and schools. But it's all double-speak. When read carefully, the letter simply says the rates are going up because BellSouth wants the money, and the consumer has to pay for the duration of the contract.

By the way, when I signed up for the service with BellSouth originally, I did ask what the market price was for the servcice, which was 49.95 per month at the time. This was not an introductory period that was expiring.

Interestingly, for the year after I got the letter, i still saw billboards and TV ads telling people that the DSL service was 49.95. But this is simply false advertising, as it is actually over 50.00, but there is no way to find out until the customer is already obligated under contract.

[ Parent ]



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