OT - Cellphone billing

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: James Knott <james.knott-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org>

| So, grandfather those little old ladies and the pulse lines. As the pulse
| lines get canceled, they're gone for good.

That's exactly what they did.  Perhaps 15 years ago.  Long enough that
those little old ladies weren't old at the time :-).

In other words, DTMF has been a mandatory option for a *long* time.

Any kind of mandatory option is pretty annoying to customers, not just
phone customers.  The "network access charge" on cell phone bills
smells like that.

| > I doubt that it had anything to do with poverty activists.  Poor folks
| > cannot get pulse-only lines.  Only folks that already have them.
| >   
| 
| They do make a lot of noise, whenever it comes up. As I said above,
| grandfather the pulse lines at the old rate

Done, long ago.

| and make touch tone the new basic
| service.

Not done.  I guess that the CRTC cannot see charging folks different
amounts for what is listed as the same service.

| > I would agree with eliminating the tariff, but not just adding it to
| > everyones bill.
| >   
| Once it's part of basic service, some adjustment will hopefully occur.

Like what?  If 95% of customers pay the $2.80 a month now, do you
think that Bell would accept anything other than 100% paying it?

My motto: I'd rather be subsidized than subsidize.  And that's what it
is.  I cost them more than a DTMF customer.  They have put a block on
my line to prevent me dialing with DTMF (I can switch to DTMF to get
through menu systems after I dial the phone number).
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