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2004.02.20
Never Dial Zero
A few weeks ago, Daniel was on the road--without his cell phone and needed to check in with me. He picked up a pay phone and dialed Zero to make a Collect call. When I picked up the phone to answer, I knew it was him; but, I was offered the option to hear the phone rates before I committed to the call. We have done this before--and we, both, were aware that the call, by all standards, would be overpriced; but, like other times, we both assumed it would be something like $5 - $10 for a very short call. Daniel called me twice that day, the same way--each call totaling 4 minutes a piece.
When I got the bill, I was not just shocked, but infuriated:
OPTICOM charged $68.29 for the two calls!!!
( Apparently, I am not the only one...Check out what you get when you input the key words - zpdi, opticom at Google: Pages of Complaints. )
So, I got on the horn to chew out some butt, and this was the reply: It was "legal," because I had been given the "option" to hear the rates before I took the call. I retorted that it did not matter that it was "legal," but that it was "unconscionable." How could anyone in their right mind feel justified in such a ridiculous and criminal charge? I could call half way around the world for less than that--never mind a state away. I was given a courtesy $23.00 discount, before I was escalated to a supervisor. We essentially had the same conversation --while he had the opportunity to condescendingly suggest he would disconnect the call if I didn't listen to him tell me the same crap at least three times in cleverly modified ways. And so I asked to speak to the person in charge of pricing. "Oh, they don't take calls," he said. "Of course, not!" I said, slamming down the phone.
My rage reminded me I coulda /shoulda said, "Yeah, because they are at the spa drinking Daiquiris on my hard earned dollar while they have goobers like you covering their asses."
So, we learned a lesson: Opticom has no conscience and feels righteous about ripping people off when they are in a collect-call-lurch. NEVER dial Zero (0)!!!
Use one of those crazy 800 collect numbers or buy a phone card and keep it in your wallet (they will charge 10 minutes of time for your initial connection)--still overpriced, but a far better option than these "legalized" THIEVES!
If there is any such thing as Karma, may it come around and bite them in the butt--REAL HARD--REAL SOON!!!
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