Alliance for Customers' Telecommunications Rights
Missing Audits Teletruth's Progress Report Broadband Headaches About TeleTruth
Join! The History Phonebill Issues New Networks
  Phone Bill Outrage
^up
Common Problems
 
Truth-in-Billing
 

You can't read your phone bill, and we've documented it over and over again.

 

Universal Service Fund is an Out of Control Corporate Subsidy.

Teletruth has written a free mini-report for you to understand the issues.

  • 185% increase in five years: The Universal Service Fund has increased from
  • 3.9% on long distance services in 1999 to 11.1% in 2005 --- a 185% increase.
  • The largest part of this fund is NOT for wiring of schools and libraries, but to
  • "High Cost Funds", which are corporate subsidies to the phone companies.
  • The High Cost Fund represents over 60% of the total collected, doubling from
  • $1.7 in 1999 to $3.4 billion in 2004 --- and growing.
  • These funds are NOT going to corporations that need this money. Many of the phone companies receiving funds have 55% profit margins (EBITDA) in a large part. from this High Cost fund.
 
Investigate the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee and "Truth-in-billing.!
 

In 2004, Teletruth was a member of the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee and would have presented information about Truth-in-Billing. We were not only bumped from doing so, but it is clear that members of the Committees, such as the phone and cable companies, as well as 'astroturf' consumer groups are in control of the agenda.

Read the Original Complaint and other Materials
  * Get ready to be nickeled, dimed and quartered again! The FCC is :planning on raising the FCC Line Charge, on every customers' wireline phone bill to $10 a month. We show that the FCC's data is wrong and this charge should be lowered, if not removed.
  * Teletruth Files Data Quality Act Complaint and Truth-in Billing Complaint About the FCC Line Charge. We believe this charge is bogus. It doesn't go to the FCC but is umarked revenue to the phone companies.
  * Class Action Suits taken with the Help of Teletruth in New Jersey--- First Case Settled. Teletruth's data found that 40% of small businesses in New Jersey were missing their discounts. This case was settled in April 2004.
 
  Take Action
1. Phone Bill Audits - Do you qualify for refund? Teletruth is now offering Free Phone Analysis to Small Businesses
 
COMPLAINT GUIDELINES
2. How To File a Complaint an overview of the basics -- Phone problem, DSL, Long Distance, etc and who
3.

Guide to speaking with the Phone Company
4. A Guide to the Government sources.
5. Write a letter
  Sample letter to Public Utility Commissions
  State Public Utility Commissions listed alphabetically
  Reading Room--- Support Teletruth
 

* Phone Bill Independence Report: Autopsy of Phone Bills. This report is an 2 year investigation into Verizon New York and New Jersey Phone bills

.

(click to enlarge)
 

* The Dirty Little Secret Lives of Phone Bills Released in April, 2004, this is a fact-based novel/expose on phone bill issues, including everything from how to read your phone bill, to why there are all those little taxes and surcharges added.
^up
       
 
Continue the Fight