OT - Cellphone billing

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Fri, Feb 29, 2008 at 10:50:05AM -0500, James Knott wrote:
> Do cell phone companies charge for call display?  I don't recall seeing 
> that on my Rogers bill.

Bell certainly does on many plans.

> Voice mail is a bit different, in that it requires something to record 
> the messages on, whereas call display is simply passing on call info and 
> all modern equipment supports it.  I don't have voice mail, as I've 
> configured my service to phone home, should I not answer a cell call.

It does require equipment, but I think the cost in europe (where it seems
to be that as long as you spend at least $10 per year on talk time, they
will provide voice mail, call display and a phone number) is much more
realistic and actually reflects the true cost.

> One thing you're forgetting is that companies are in business to make 
> money.  This means they set the rates for whatever they think will give 
> them the best profit.  If the customers don't like the price they may 
> not take the service or might switch providers.

I just think there ought to be actual competition.  Right now it seems
Bell, Rogers and Telus are perfectly happy to all charge the same insane
prices for service.  None of them want to start a price war and actually
compete.

> Don't forget, some rates, at least for Bell land line are determined by 
> tariff.  One thing I find incredible is that touch tone is still a 
> separate charge for many people, even though it's now basic service.  I 
> suspect this may be, at least partially, due to those poverty activists, 
> who insist that pulse lines be available to low income people at a lower 
> rate, even though there's no money to be saved in providing a pulse dial 
> service and pulse dial only phones are getting scare.

You can't order a new Bell line without touchtone, but anyone with an
old line without touchtone doesn't pay it.  Its stupid, given these days
the old pulse dialing system is probably more expensive to support in
the equipment than touch tone is and the touch tone equipment was paid
for and probably retired multiple times over long ago.

--
Len Sorensen
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