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Saturday, November 8, 2008

Dividends


Periodically I write (via email) to my congressman complaining about one thing or another or, more likely, offering my enlightened solution for some global catastrophe. Because of the election I have been holding off, figuring they would be too busy with campaigning to really pay proper attention to my magnanimous suggestions.

I always have a list of things to badger them about, and the one item that had migrated to the top of my list was Verizon's Robocop automated phone support system. Just a few days ago my wife was trying to sort out some charges on our wireless bill and I could hear her yelling YES/NO/MAYBE SO at the machine. Today was bill paying day and the phone bill is more like $400 instead of the usual $300. So I gird my loins and prepare to do vocal battle with Robocop. Imagine my surprise when after a short recorded message I find myself talking to a real person. Shocked I was!

Someone turned on Vcast, which gets you video and/or web access to your phone. $65 for three phones. Tack that onto the $325 regular bill and we are close enough to $400 to sneeze. This bill is for everything:
  • 4 cell phones with unlimited text messaging
  • 1 land line
  • high speed internet
  • "cable" TV
  • HBO
  • (2) DVR (Digital Video Recorders)
  • Taxes, fees, carrying charges, assessments, auxiliary license fees, etc. etc.
So I got Vcast turned off, told Kevin (the real person) how much I appreciated not having to deal with Robocop, and hung up. All done. Happy.

Now a real partisan would say that Obama made Verizon get rid of Robocop. I would never suggest such a thing, but it is a heck of a coincidence, eh?

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