Unreal111
join:2004-01-21
Minneapolis, MN | oh man
oh crap. |
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sirsloop
Premium
join:2004-02-18
New York, NY | what is that for again
plz explain to me where the law is that states VoIP companies need to charge these fees? |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| There is no law. It is an entirely bogus official sounding fee, created by companies who feel they are due cash because regulatory guidelines are so unfair....
Actually that was the bells reason. VoIP providers are now doing it because, well, they can....not researching, you'll blame uncle sam for what's essentially a rate hike. |
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Nightwchtr
join:2001-09-10
Falls Church, VA | And that is why I wont move over to VOIP, If my wife did no have her own business and some other stuff I get rid of my Land line aswell. Right now its just bear naked phone service. |
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MxxCon
join:1999-11-19
Brooklyn, NY
clubs:  
1 edit | more bad publicity please
i think even stronger negative press/article will make any good company reconsider such bastard tactics
--
[Sig removed by Administrator: Signature can not exceed 20GB] |
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NoOneButMe
join:2001-08-24
TX | Im getting Voip and AINT useing thease............
guys EVER |
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Boomerang86
Got FUD?
Premium
join:2002-10-18
VampireState
clubs:
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·VOIPo
·Time Warner VOIP
|  It was only a matter of time
Vonage has been charging the same fee from the get-go when I signed on in March 2004.
Having VoIP is STILL WAY CHEAPER than POTS voice service and is otherwise tax free. The USF is a nuisance, but after over a year of very reliable service I may NEVER go back to a POTS line. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Makes VoIP even more Useless
The closer that the price of VoIP service gets to that of traditional telegraph service, the more customers they will lose. Don't VoIP companies know that their only appeal whatsoever is low prices?
--
Hey Fast Eddie... you're next! |
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NoOneButMe
join:2001-08-24
TX | reply to Boomerang86
Re: It was only a matter of time
Dont know man i might not go with Vonage thats who i was looking at goin with |
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MxxCon
join:1999-11-19
Brooklyn, NY
clubs:
| reply to Boomerang86
but the whole idea was to dump POTS so you pay exactly what is on the sticker.
now you have to pay sales taxes + 'regulatory fee' + blatant lie about unlimited minutes plans.
less and less reason to go with voip
--
[Sig removed by Administrator: Signature can not exceed 20GB] |
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NoOneButMe
join:2001-08-24
TX | reply to pnh102
Re: Makes VoIP even more Useless
ya i dont think thay see that i was thinking of goin to Voip but whats the point i use my cell phone for long dist... so i dont need all that stuf when it gets to the same price why switch |
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envoid
join:2002-12-21
Duluth, GA | This isn't fraud?
Aren't disguising charges fraud? Even with the Bells and ISP's doing this? |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | By any sane, non-financially motivated person's standards, yes.
I believe that's the FCC napping over there..... |
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Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
Premium,VIP
join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL
clubs:
| reply to Karl Bode
Re: what is that for again
said by Karl Bode  :There is no law. It is an entirely bogus official sounding fee, created by companies who feel they are due cash because regulatory guidelines are so unfair.... Actually that was the bells reason. VoIP providers are now doing it because, well, they can....not researching, you'll blame uncle sam for what's essentially a rate hike. That's a pretty one sided view of it.
The other side (the communications industry) of the story is that they are passing the universal service charge that the FCC bills them on to the consumer.
The problem is that all back end company facing fees should be passed on to the consumer via their monthly charges like normal. By passing it on a separate fee that can advertise $xx.xx dollars a month and then charge you extra fees (such as the USC) on the side and never advertise the extra $$.
--
"Boys are girls" - Laura Bush
»www.cafepress.com/maxolasersquad |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD
·VoicePulse for Bus..
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VoiceStick
·Packet8
| reply to envoid
Re: This isn't fraud?
said by envoid :This isn't fraud? Aren't disguising charges fraud? Even with the Bells and ISP's doing this? I guess it depends on how well it's done.  |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
4 edits | reply to Maxo
Re: what is that for again
quote:
he other side (the communications industry) of the story is that they are passing the universal service charge that the FCC bills them on to the consumer.
If that were really true they'd include it with official USF fees already on user bills. By not doing so, that money essentially gets dumped in the coffers to do with as they like. It's a rate hike, regulation is the excuse for it.
Your second reason is accurate, it's a way of obscuring price hikes in adverts....but again, it's not a fee. And even if you could prove that money was going toward regulatory costs (good luck), it should be included in official fees, or included in the overall cost.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but Packet8 isn't paying directly into the USF system, so their use of these fees is even more misleading....they are largely unregulated. |
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digiblur
Got Sipura?
Premium
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana | VoicePulse doing just the opposite
The past couple of months VoicePulse actually stopped charging taxes. |
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ColdFiltered
join:2005-01-25
Atlanta, GA | reply to Karl Bode
Re: This isn't fraud?
Actually, I bet the FCC doesn't give a rats _ss. |
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ColdFiltered
join:2005-01-25
Atlanta, GA
| reply to MxxCon
Re: more bad publicity please
said by MxxCon :i think even stronger negative press/article will make any good company reconsider such bustard tactics Bustard? |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
| More fees
Now that they have added the Regulatory Recovery fee what is next.
Sip Server Connect fee
Backbone Interconnect Fees
Voip to POTS Packet conversion fees
E911 Access Fee (Wait P8 already has that)
blah
blah
blah
Its going to get as bad as the Bells
ec |
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