Phone Companies Bill Public for Nonexistent Equipment 612
Srinivasan Ramakrishnan writes "Forbes has an eye-opening article on the scam that lets the Bells scoop $5 billion every year from the consumer with the sanction of the FCC. The FCC Line charge that appears on every phone bill is a vestige of a deal that was struck by the FCC with the Bells. The deal was touted by the FCC as a historic win that saved $3.2 Billion a year for the consumer - Forbes takes a closer look at the deal."
funny math, not funny money (Score:-1, Funny)
I blame it on the log cabins (Score:5, Funny)
Damn Capitalists (Score:0, Funny)
I know where it is! (Score:3, Funny)
Kevin Mitnick's Secret Warehouse!
$458 dollar gloves (Score:5, Funny)
1 phone switch - $133,000
The same phone switch on newegg - $4
Succeeding to sweep a damning audit of your shady accounting under the rug: Priceless
There are some things money can't buy. You use back-office deals with the FCC for that.
Profit! (Score:3, Funny)
1: Monopoly broken up by government.
2: Local companies and national carriers hold secret meetings with government regulators, decide how to screw customer over.
3: ???
4: Profit!!
I need my hard line to... (Score:2, Funny)
Minnesota Roads (Score:1, Funny)
Arthur
"Grandpa" Al Lewis... (Score:2, Funny)
~Philly
Re:cut the line! (Score:5, Funny)
BUT, if I cut my land line, how would I get in and out of the Matrix!
Re:Nationalize local phone access! (Score:5, Funny)
The Bear (Score:0, Funny)
Actualy a bear picks up the phone and answers the calls, watches the TV, and reads/posts to slashdot.
Who did you think Timothy was?
You say its not true, but if you asked the Bells then they would show you the Disney channell and point out The Bear in the Big Blue house program as evidence this realy takes place.
The only thing you do not get from this scenario is charged for water/sewage. And not it is not because Bears do not know how to use the toilet, or water, but rather the issue of justifying how the City got the water/sewage lines up on that big rocky mountain.
Re:Ugh... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Is anyone *actually* surprised by this? (Score:2, Funny)
> Get Cable or Satelite Internet - Better mediums altogether IMO
Good plan. Then your days of poor service and being overcharged every month will be over! :)
Re:funny math, not funny money (Score:3, Funny)
What the fuck, man? You trying to ruin my
Re:one-way cable modems... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:True Story (Score:1, Funny)
Regards
Re:Nationalize local phone access! (Score:4, Funny)
How in blazes could anybody show you a better postal service?
There's this thing called other countries, see, and they send letters too.
Re:Nationalize local phone access! (Score:4, Funny)
Uhm hello, they gave me a post card IN MY MAILBOX.
Re:Pizza delivery requires a landline... (Score:3, Funny)
I don't do it very often but I've never had any problem with Papa John's or Mr. Gattis delivering to me.
I'm one of those guys without a land line -- I have just a cell phone.
I don't advertise that fact, but then I don't tell them I'm fat, either.
--Richard