Can you hear me now?

[Zinner]

Sorry in advance, this is not about wine.

However, we might all want to take another look at our phone bills and get rid of the nonsense charges...then we can add to our wine-buying budget.

Long ago I signed onto some MCI program that had a five buck minumum and for a while it worked. Then I got busy with other things and took my eye off the bill until I realized how high the bill was in a month when I was hardly ever at home. Looking closer I realized I had been charged over $14 for one 50 cent phone call!

Call to MCI to try to get the charges explained...

MCI hack: Oh, most of it is federal charges and tax.

Me: No, I don't think so. For example, what is this $3.99 billing option fee and who exactly gets that?

MCI hack: Well....MCI gets it...it's for having your long distance charges on your local bill.

Me: What! You're charging me four bucks just to bill me!

MCI hack: Oh... a lot of our customers like the convenience of having it all on one bill.

Me: Well, I didn't ask for that and I want you to stop it right now.

The conversation went on and deteriorated from there, but basically MCI has slowly crept up their minumum usage rate so now if you have this program, you pay about $7 whether you use it or not. Thus at least $11 of the $14 went to MCI and the federal tax hype was excuses and nonsense.

So I wondered how many of you guys still have land lines anyhow...or have you all gone strictly to cell phones. Are there any long distance providers with rates you consider fair?

As for me, MCI and I now have an understanding that if I don't make any calls, they don't charge a cent. And I'm shopping for a new long distance provider.

Can you hear me now, MCI?