Down with the Cell Phone Majors!
I just downgraded my phone plan from 900 minutes to 450 minutes. Last year I was using a lot more a month than I do currently, and paying an extra $20 for minutes above and beyond what I use is obviously bad business. I still was able to ‘keep’ those extra minutes due to rollover, but I wasn’t even coming close to tapping into my rollover reserve. Also, after 1 year rollover minutes expire.
I started to do some math. My plan was 900 minutes/month for $59.99 + taxes, fees, earmarks and socialist activities. I also have the original iPhone Data Plan ($20.00) and unlimited texting for my friends that don’t talk on the phone ($20.00). Total charge, $99.99.
Have you ever looked at what you’re paying towards? Let’s take a look:
- Poison Control Surcharge $0.07
- Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge $1.25
- Federal Universal Service Charge $1.64
- Municipal License Surcharge $2.18
- Utah Universal Service $0.19
- 911 Service Fee $0.08
- Local Wireless 911 Surcharge $0.61
- Utah State Sales Tax $4.88
- County Sales Tax $0.83
- City Sales Tax $1.30
Total Taxes, adjustments, other charges, government fees and bull shit: $13.03. Can someone please tell me why all these different fees are tacked onto my phone bill? What the hell is the ‘Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge’? How about the ‘Municipal License Surcharge’? What are these things? How did Poison Control sneak in there?? The only one I feel good about is 911… but there are two of those! And, if you think about it, they advertise those as ‘free’ calls, but in reality the once a year you might call 911, it costs you $8.28! That’s NOT a free call!
I’m calming down. I’ll return shortly.
…………
Okay, I’m back. That was just my bill, mind you, and I pay for some extra services. Now, where I wanted to go with this. Let’s just take the basic plan: 450 minutes for $39.99/month. Taxes, fees and horse crap aside, you pay 8.8 cents per minute. But that’s if you use all 450. I’ll probably use about 300, which means suddenly I’m paying 13 cents per minute. You can buy a calling card and phone SouthEast Asia for cheaper than that!
So where does this take us? To a freakin’ boycott of the major phone companies. Let’s take a look at Net10, a pre-pay service. Haven’t we always been led to believe that pre-pay is not a bargain if you sign up for a contract with a major player? It’s total crap. They’re a MUCH better bargain than all the major players. Your minutes are good for 30 days to 2 years depending on how many minutes you buy before they expire, however, if you just add some more before they expire, you get to keep your minutes + add your new ones. And it’s ALWAYS 10 cents per minute. (Remember, mine can be as cheap as 8.8, but in reality is closer to 13 with my usage).
Did I mention there is no contract? Did I mention the taxes and fees are miniscule compared to what I pay? Did I mention there is no contract? Did you know they just piggy-back the coverage areas off the major companies, so you’re not stuck with a crappy coverage area? Did I mention that this is a really good deal?!
I can buy 2000 minutes for $200, and they’re good for a year. For me, I’d spend about $400 year for all the minutes I’d use. Right now I’m paying about $550 for my minutes plan.
If I didn’t have the coolest phone in the world and use the data plan with it, and didn’t text like a drunk monkey, I’d do this in a heart beat when my contract is over.
Sadly, we keep paying these phone behemoths for the crappy prices and terrible service. Until we stop, they’re free and clear to charge what they want. Such is the nature of capitalism, and such is the nature of greed.