Saturday, August 23, 2014

Tax, etc. on land lines: "Verizon Surcharges and Other Charges & Credits

The "tax", etc. on both home and mobile voice, data, video service is obscene enough but I was shocked to learn about what appears to the current tax on a home land line, which I just added after doing without for about years.  Here's my e-mail to Verizon about its FIOS service:

to: Verizon FIOS
date: Sat, Aug 23, 2014 at 8:49 AM
subject: Billing problem, what else?

I just called and wasted five minutes waiting for your system to tell me that there's no one take my call.  Did it know that at the start?

account number: nnnnnnnnnnnn

1. After trying to resolve it for about 18 months Verizon continues to charge me for two cable cards.  Remove and credit retroactively as promised multiple times.

2. Voice service was just added when I moved and is itemized at $30.  What the heck?  Plus, I now have lots more new "Verizon Surcharges and Other Charges & Credits", including:
Federal Universal Service Fee $4.54
Federal Subscriber Line Charge $12.37
VLD Carrier Cost Recovery Charge $2.42
VLD Long Distance Administrative Charge $1.43
Regulatory Recovery Fee - Federal $.08
Franchise Related Costs $1.80  Aren't they all?
Video Franchise Fee $7.93   Why now?

Are the first four because I now have voice service, which was supposed to be $5, not $30.  If it also costs an extra $20 in tax, I'll drop it.

Please call or reply to resolve.  Thanks.

Kenneth Matinale