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The Wax

May 07, 2004

To our existing customers: Screw You.

Transfer This, Motherf***ersI might have to agree with Odd Todd's sentiment about MCI. They have some pretty screwy ideas when it comes to customer appreciation.

With my upcoming move, I need to set up phone service at my new apartment. Since I'm an existing MCI customer, and have had very little trouble with them thus far, I call them up and ask to move my service to NYC from MI. Seems simple enough.

"Ramona", if that was her real name, informs me that MCI can't move my service, rather I need to cancel it and start a new contract. In general, I was fine with that idea, however they want to charge me $140 for the hook-up and they can't guarantee me service for 30 days.

I obviously complained, cause it's what I do, playing the "don't-you-think-it's-silly-to-screw-an-existing-customer-over-an-installation-fee, when-I-can-get-that-fee-waived-by-another-company" guy as best as possible. It wasn't working. She offered me a one month fee concession, which would still mean I was still out $100. Now I know that's not a helluva lot of money, but still, its the principle of the thing.

So, I'm either thinking of going without a landline, or just local service. The cost is less and the aggravation is much less. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have a home phone, but I understand from the interweb that it is becoming increasingly popular among the people.


Posted by davidissimo  ::  Permalink  ::  Comments [4]  ::  

Comments Section

I don't think I've ever heard of a set-up charge that was over $15. Sounds like you got served.

I dumped MCI last year for SBCs local/long distance package. I ended up paying half the price and I'm not getting all the hidden fees anymore. Never thought I'd be able to say nice things about Ameritech/SBC, but it's true. MCI is definitely teh suck.

And to be realistic, you really only need your land line for local calls anyway.

Posted by: Stephen McKenna at May 7, 2004 09:37 AM

Our friend Sandeep Bhatt has no home phone, and neither does my friend Kelly Frick. The only reason Jess and her roommate have a land line is for the DSL. Come to think of it, that's really the only reason I have a land line as well. If I could give up the land line and still get high speed Internet, I'd go with a cell phone only; but there's no cable modem service in my neighborhood.

In fact, it's for this reason alone that I don't bother getting a cell phone. My reasoning is this: I don't use the phone often enough to justify the expense of having two separate phones to my name. But I need the land line in order to get the high-speed Internet which I've found I can't live without. Therefore, no cell phone.

Flame away. :)

Posted by: alex at May 7, 2004 09:40 AM

The last couple of years I was in the US I had a landline just for internet connectivity and used my mobile for all my calls. If I could have, I'd have gone land-line less, for the same reasons everyone else advocates: sucky phone service, huge fees, and a lack of faith in the phone companies' ability to do anything. Case in point: the last time I opened up an account with BellSouth I discovered that, even though I had to provide information akin to giving blood samples in order to get an account, they had allowed someone else to gain access to my Social Security number (through their complete lack of taking these measures when someone else opened up an account with them).

Anyway, sorry to hear about your problems with MCI, David. Phone companies suck.

Posted by: Anar at May 7, 2004 02:35 PM

I'd try calling them again. As silly as that sounds, some people are clueless and are too lazy/disgruntled to speak with the supervisor. Besides, I don't know how many times I've heard of people calling up XYZ Company's customer service to get one story only to call back later and get a complete opposite story.

Posted by: Jenny J. at May 9, 2004 11:05 AM

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