Charter Spectrum → [Telephone] Check your phone bill NOW results vary

Well I found out some crappy news. Back in June Charter made the phone service a flat rate of $19.99 Ending the common user line fee of $6.50 plus taxes. As I just found this out. With the fee and taxes. On average it was $11.90-$12.10 Times that between June and now. I have over paid over $84 dollars. Where did the money go? I asked for a credit for those months back. I was denied. Does not seem fair to me. No telling how many people this is happening to. Charter does not automatically switch you to this new current plan. My promo plan was for $19.99 my guess if this is happening to others. I have a feeling Charter is just keeping the money and pocketing. Yep I said it.

19.99 or 29.99? I see 29.99 advertised all over the site.

Charter can't switch you automatically to their new plan as people still have 2 year guarantees and 1 year promotions they might want to finish out before switching first.

It was $20. I remember they called me wanting to sign me up for it. I asked them why I would pay $20 when I already get it for about $12 from PhonePower.
Since then, it seems to have gone up to $30. These days, $30 per month for phone seems too high.

Especially when you can get something like NetTalk and pay that for the year.

Or you get a OBi100 and then get Google Voice for free.

The question is how long is google voice going to be free for. Last year they announced it would be free until at least the end of 2012. Looks like they are going to start making users pay for their google apps for buisness stuff. What is to say voice will not go down the same path. That being said you can get pretty much unlimited calls for 5$ with other voip services. ( I personally use google voice until things change)

It does not have 911 support and that is a must.

I have Charter Phone $19.99....taxes included.....

That is what Charter advertises it for here also, $19.99 taxes included.

I use Vonage. $9.99 a month for life plan.

You don't mention if your promo was over or not? If it wasn't, that would be why you still paid the extra. After promo ended, they should've either called you about new flat rate $19.99 or automatically done that, if that is the current rate in your area.

Promo was not over and I was just told they do not move plans automatically for customers. They also avoided where the extra money went. Which as I said earlier. It seems like they are pocketing it for themselves. Smooth cats I will tell ya. How did you get that Vonage plan for so cheap? Does that include unlimited local/long distance as well? On principal alone. Think I will be dropping the phone.

It makes sense to me that promo/contract rates do not come to their attention until they *terminate* and require action by the customer or the company. New customers and others not under special rate contracts would get the automatic rate changes.

I'm happy to say I got my account changes processed this past week for my bundling rate expiration next month, by Abby in the Direct forum. I was worried I would have to deal with the robo-call center.

Yep I got things taken care of before they all left was well. I do not want to deal with Charter on the phone. I know the time will come eventually. But, if it can be put off for a long time. I will take it!

Vonage wanted $19.95 shipping for their 9.99 Basic Plan.
Plus $4.72 in TAXES every month.

So yours is more like $15 every month, correct?

My Vonage is $16.18 with taxes and fees. Unlimited U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico. No international calls allowed though, on this plan. I believe all other plans allow it. I did not pay for shipping on anything, when I got it 2 years ago, or so.

Here's where I found out about the $9.99 for life plan:
»Vonage made me an offer (I can't refuse)

They have other plans also. I linked this to the 300 minute plan:
»www.vonage.com/us-canada ··· stic_300

Here's the pricing plan main page:
»www.vonage.com/us-canada ··· _domestc

I know that's not the absolute cheapest you can find, but compared to the $40-$60 a month for JUST a phone with Frontier, I'll take it. Vonage has been around long enough I feel safer with them than those other start ups.

Either Charter JUST changed the price of their phone here, or I lied above about the $19.99 price, as I saw the commercial yesterday advertising it for $29.99 now.

Cell phones even without service can call 911.

The 9.99 Vonage is called VonageBasicTalk.
There is a 9.95 shipping fee (gotta make up profits somewhere).
The FIRST month taxes are $4.08
After that, taxes are $6.01. So, basically $16.01 a month.

the CHARTER PHONE I have was bundled with the CHARTER HSI on the new price structure, so $49.98 for HSI and PHONE.
I was in a contract with HSI only for 3 more months, so they just converted me.

Yes,
Vonage has a plan for $9.99 called Vonage Basic Talk, but they also have a plan called $9.99 for life, for people who call and request it, which is all I had to do. The "official" name of my plan is called: Plan Name: $9.99 $9.99 month U.S. and Canada Unlimited

I despise contracts and/or having to call repeatedly to renegotiate deals with people, especially like Charter used to do!

Your $16.01 is pretty close to what I said I pay, isn't it?

As you can see from the link I posted, FREE shipping AND activation also!
»www.vonage.com/us-canada ··· _domestc

Also KoRnGtL15, if you refer a friend, we can BOTH get special deals for a month!

Included an image to show you free shipping and activation just in case you were afraid to click the link.

19.99 per month no additional fees is part of the "NEW" pricing structure introduced this year by Charter. You must request this change be made to your account.
All changes to phone accounts must be made by customer request due to FCC anti Slamming and Cramming regulations.
As far as where the money has been going Charter still has to pay taxes and fees on all phone customers Charter has choosen to eat those cost and not pass along to customers who choose to move to new packages.

New, advertised price for JUST Charter phone around here is $29.99 now.