To their credit, BellSouth can provide us internet service (via DSL).
However: they pay Technion Communications–telemarketers–to call us every other day. (You may recognize Technion Communications from your caller ID: 954 443 9404.) The Technion message (because such a successful telemarketing company can’t be bothered to use humans) says to call BellSouth’s support number, 866 819 5368. All the people there told me to do was to add our number to the do not call registry, by calling 888 382 1222.
Also: BellSouth gave us a “deal” of some kind, where our DSL was a little cheaper. However, the first time I call support they tell me there is some kind of mistake with our plan, and that the support person CANNOT prevent us from being charged an extra $8 a month. (I called because I wanted caller ID.) So, we agreed to pay an extra $10 a month, which gives us a $5 discount on DSL.
I used this caller ID to find out that half of our missed calls in the last month were from Technion Communications.
I then found out that I was given three “features” for this $10/month, which I did not choose (besides caller ID): anonymous call blocking (ugh), three-way calling, and something else. I know this only because I called back about Technion communications and wanted some way to block them. The operator told me that I couldn’t change the three features I “chose,” but if I wanted to pay an extra $5 a month I could get number blocking–or for only $10 a month I could get all 500 features that BellSouth hawks.
This Is Not How To Do Business. Especially when competing vendors are providing VoIP and even home phone service, why does BellSouth insist on using confusing billing systems that rely on charging me $0.40/minute for calling High Point?
As soon as July comes around, we will own our DSL modem. It will then be time to shop around for better deals.