So, we received a notice from our local “baling wire and chewing gum” POTS carrier. In June, the basic residential phone charge will increase by 40%. Yep. 40%. Of course, that’s accompanied by the elimination of a service that has cost that same amount to have added on (which is why we never added it on), but–mirabile dictu!–the add-onservice that is being eliminated is now included in ALL customers’ basic phone charges.
In other words, the company has decided that everyone needs to pay that added charge, so they are simply adding the “service” to everyone’s account and charging every customer, instead of just the smaller number who wanted it before.
Of course the local “baling wire and chewing gum” phone company has to do this if the owners want to maintain their standard of living, since more and more folks in the area have ditched ’em for cell phone only services. In fact, we may just do the same, given this high-handed scam.