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story category Verizon Says They're Making Their Bills Simpler
After Time Warner Cable ad attack in NY metro market...
02:28PM Tuesday Oct 14 2008 by Karl Bode
tags: Fiber · competition · business · cable · consumers · Verizon FIOS
Verizon recently entered the New York City market and has started to compete heavily with cable incumbent Time Warner Cable, who've yet to upgrade the market to DOCSIS 3.0 -- meaning they can't compete with the telco's faster speeds just yet. Instead, the cable company has been running ads that mock Verizon's complicated bills -- particularly those for FiOS TV. Verizon has apparently responded by announcing that they've simplified their bills in the New York metro area, and will be doing the same for the rest of their FiOSTV footprint shortly.
Verizon began introducing the redesigned, simplified bill in New York in the September and October bill cycles. All other Verizon residential customers will receive it by the end of the year. The redesign is in response to the growing base of services Verizon offers -- particularly bundles of voice, high-speed Internet and video -- that made the current bill much more complicated. In addition, customers said they wanted their bills to have fewer pages and for the presentation to be more concise and easier to review.
Billing has traditionally been FiOS's Achilles heel, with phantom charges (and struggles to remove them) fairly commonplace. Can any customers comment on the new bills? Perhaps provide before and after shots in our comment section below?

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Forums » Verizon Says They're Making Their Bills Simpler
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Post a:
halfelite

join:2007-09-11

finally.

Maybe i wont have to go over my monthly bills anymore with a fine tooth comb. I have been lucky and only had one bad bill. but i know some poeple that get them monthly.

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ
·Verizon FIOS


edit:
October 14th, @03:21PM

Acck I just tossed them...

Hi,
I'll post my Online one tonight.
Lee
--
"I Don't feel Tardy"

here it is and YES I edited it !!
BundleCharges

New Charges

FiOS® Triple Freedom: Full Month Sep 29 - Oct 28 $104.99
FiOS Triple Freedom
Includes:
- Verizon Freedom Essentials $29.01
- FiOS Internet 20/5 $37.99
- FiOS TV Premier $37.99

Bundle Partial Month: Partial Month $3.00
Movie/HBO/Cinemax Package Sep 19 - Sep 21 $3.00

TV Additional Services $76.05
Standard STB Rental*Equipment charges billed on behalf of Verizon Online
$4.99

Home Media DVR - High Definition $19.99

Standard STB Rental $5.99

Movie/HBO/Cinemax Package $30.00

FeatureEvent date Aug 30 Event time 11:03 am
$9.99

Movie Package (removed Sep 19)
Partial month's credit for Sep 19 - Sep 21
-$1.30
HBO/Cinemax (removed Sep 19)
Partial month's credit for Sep 19 - Sep 21
-$2.20
HBO/Cinemax -1 month free (removed Sep 19)
Partial month's credit for Sep 19 - Sep 19
$0.73
DVR Rental (removed Sep 04)
Partial month's credit for Sep 04 - Sep 21
-$7.79
Movie/HBO/Cinemax Package (added Sep 19)
Partial month's charge for Sep 19 - Sep 21
$3.00
Sports (added Sep 19)
Partial month's charge for Sep 19 - Sep 21
$0.80
HBO/Cinemax (added Sep 04)
Partial month's charge for Sep 04 - Sep 21
$13.19
Home Media DVR - High Definition (added Sep 04)
Partial month's charge for Sep 04 - Sep 21
$11.99
HBO/Cinemax -1 month free (added Sep 04)
Partial month's charge for Sep 04 - Sep 19
-$11.73
Standard STB Rental (added Sep 15)
Partial month's charge for Sep 15 - Sep 21
$1.40

Taxes, Fees and Other Charges $18.80
Voice
Federal Excise Tax $0.19
State Tax $2.57
E911 $0.90

Federal Subscriber Line Charge $6.29
Federal Universal Service Fee $0.72
Federal Universal Service Fee - LD $0.73

TV
State tax* $2.56
Video Franchise Fee* $4.26
CATV Universal Access Fund* $0.58

Total Charges $202.84

Reference ID xxxxxxxxxxx

TV service is provided under franchise granted by:
Board of Public Utilities,
Office of Cable Television,
2 Gateway Center, 8th Flr, Newark, NJ
07102, 800 624-0331

FCC Community ID: NJ0635

It is sooooo MUCH Clearer NOW. THx VZ!!!!! NOT

fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

If you can't understand that bill, then there's no hope.

What's wrong with it? I read right now it and understood EVERYTHING with out an issue.

You paid $104.99 for the service bundle. Looks like you did a service change in the middle of a billing period, which explains the credit back to your account, and then your taxes. You have a DVR, movie package, modem rental, and a monthly pro-rate.

How else do you want them to tell you this information?

SparkChaser
See the Light
Premium
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

said by fiberguy See Profile :

If you can't understand that bill, then there's no hope.

I think the problem is the fees, charges, taxes. How many know what it's all about and how they get taxed under the radar?

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ
·Verizon FIOS


edit:
October 14th, @06:13PM

Interpret this Since your a genius
Federal Subscriber Line Charge $6.29
Federal Universal Service Fee $0.72
Federal Universal Service Fee - LD $0.73

TV
State tax* $2.56
Video Franchise Fee* $4.26
CATV Universal Access Fund* $0.58

Looks like a lot of Bullshit too me
The rest I pretty much understood. Last bill was around 14 pages.. that my friend is a waste..... This was the online version.

Lee

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
·DSL EXTREME

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

Do you have standard 'voice' service ? Fees/Unfees for phone
Federal Subscriber Line Charge $6.29
Federal Universal Service Fee $0.72
Federal Universal Service Fee - LD $0.73

TV Service taxes
State tax* $2.56
Video Franchise Fee* $4.26
CATV Universal Access Fund* $0.58

Here's a 'snip' from my FORMER AT&T Landline bill:
[code]
3. Federal Subscriber Line Charge 4.39
4. Rate Surcharge 0.39
5. State Regulatory Fee 0.05
6. Federal Universal Service Fee 0.50
#
Total Surcharges and Fees 5.33
#
7. CA High Cost Fund Surcharge A 0.03
8. CA High Cost Fund B and CA AdvancedSvc Fund 0.13
9. California Teleconnect Fund Surcharge 0.02
10. Universal Lifeline Telephone Service Surcharge 0.31
11. CA Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund 0.05
12. 9-1-1 Emergency System 0.13
13. Federal 0.96
#
Total Government Fees and Taxes 1.63

Long Distance:
1. CA High Cost Fund A 0.01
2. CA High Cost Fund B and CA AdvancedSvc Fund 0.04
3. CA Relay Service & Comm. Devices Fund 0.02
4. CA State Emergency Telephone Users (911) Tax 0.04
5. CA Teleconnect Fund (0.08%) 0.01
6. CA Universal Lifeline Tel. Service Fund 0.10
#
Total Government Fees and Taxes 0.22
#
22. Carrier Cost Recovery Fee 1.49
23. Fed Universal Service Fund 1.59
24. CA State Regulatory Fee 0.02
#
Total Surcharges and other Fees 3.10

Total Government + AT&T BS Fees = $10.28/month
--
Canada = Hollywood North

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

Stinks doesn't it?? It should be
Bailout Tax =$30.00
Iraq War Tax= $8.00
Afghan war Tax =.90
Golden Parachute Tax= $.9.00

Sorry for the rant.. I am just tired of the BS..
Things will get worse before it gets better
Lee
--
"I Don't feel Tardy"
wildcat man

join:2007-11-03
Kansas City, MO
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable

Federal Subscriber Line Charge going up?

Re: the Federal SLC (called the "SLICK" by those in the know in telecom) is 95%+ profit back to Verizon. As TWC's ads showed last year, the "sir charges" get you and, while small, represent in many cases (not all) pure profits back to VZ and at&t. This allows them to advertise a teaser rate and still make a very healthy profit.

The SLC will go up in the interconnection rules the FCC is looking at because Verizon needs to be "made whole" on changes in the long distance access rates (which are paid to between telecom companies and are a true vestige of the 1980s). There has been far too little said about the "make us whole" provision that all incumbent telcos are making in light of other hands in the government and financial pots today.

However, raising the base rate to consumers and small businesses in this time is just going to make TWC's and Comcast's products more attractive. Truth in advertising should kick in and make VZ and at&t (and the cable companies) show the total monthly cost of service in all advertising.
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20


edit:
October 14th, @11:15PM

What do "fees" and "simplified bills" have to do with one another?

The fees may be bullshit, I agree. However, a 16 page bill with a bunch of garbled items only repeated on another page, summarized on yet another page only to be grouped up in serviced on one page to be totaled up on one page is not easy to read.

The format that was presented was simplified.. if they are charging it, it has to be on there.

For the bill, I see nothing wrong.

Tell me if I'm wrong, but the "topic" of this article was a simplified, less confusing bill.. not "taxes and fees"... Pardon me if I'm wrong, but I was on topic.

But, to address the fees.. I think they're B.S. myself.

Taxes: They need to be itemized by law on the bill. CA is one of the worst.. I mean, Part A, Part B & C? Ridiculous. But, they do refer to 'laws' that were enacted allowing them to be collected. Taxes SHOULD be itemized no matter how many there are.

Fees: So long as EVERY customer is being charged the same "fee" for the "same service" then they should be part of the cost of the service itself. It's a tactic used to make their rates look better on ads vs. other providers. Last time I checked, part of your dial tone, for example, was set aside to cover the cost to provide it. At what point does that stop? .. .the fee. And they are BS.

Same with Pizza Delivery.. if there is a 50 cent fuel charge on top of the $1.50 delivery fee.. the simply raise the delivery fee to $2.00.

Airlines need to knock off the $40 fuel surcharge! Simply raise the price of the ticket.. I mean, we're already paying for fuel in the ticket. If it cost more for fuel these days, RAISE THEM! I mean, on one flight alone, there are about 30 different prices for the same seat.. It's all B.S. and it should be stopped. What make it all work, is when you're searching for ticket prices, it helps people chose one airline over the other.

Last time I checked, there was truth in lending, and other truth requirements. Fees that are common to all should be mandated to be included. I agree.

As for the bill, however, like I said, it's simply a simpler format. Qwest/U.S. West used to be ONE OF THE WORST for billing on phone alone. You could never figure out what you were paying for. They simplified their billing down to about 3 pages from 12, it was great. But, simplified billing still means they have to tell you WHAT you're paying if they want to charge it.

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

Agreed but this was from the WEBSITE. Cable bill/DTV bill was 2 pages tops with a lot of adverts for new movies coming soon.
Cheers
Lee

c0wzg0m00
m00 c0wz g0
Premium
join:2005-03-19
Evanston, IL
clubs:
all of those are imposed by local, state, and federal government. don't blame the teleco or cable companies for it.

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

I don't think all of them are
Lee
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
Strange that no one pisses and moans here about Verizon's $19.99 HD DVR rental charges, but Comcast or TWC raising prices from $13.99 to $15.99 is front page news.
Cogdis

join:2007-03-26
Floral Park, NY

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

I think all these rental fees are out of control. Time Warner of NYC charges $22/mo for a DVR!

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
They nick you TWICE on the telco slush fund(USF)!!!!
one for local, one for LD
GEEZ!
--
When I gez aju zavateh na nalechoo more new yonooz tonigh molinigh - Ken Lee

c0wzg0m00
m00 c0wz g0
Premium
join:2005-03-19
Evanston, IL
clubs:

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

this is why you dont use a landline for ld.

submrge

join:2004-10-10
Mine Hill, NJ
Almost $40 in taxes and fees??? Are they kidding???

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

Re: Acck I just tossed them...

Yep.. I don't think CV is that bad but I need a bill to compare
Lee

jjoshua
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ

Example is here

Pay up: $xxxx.xx

chakey
Premium
join:2004-06-14
Gladstone, NJ
clubs:

Just got a bill today

Same exact bill as last month. 16 pages of complete clarity.......

DaMaGeINC
The Lan Man
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Greenville, SC
clubs:

After Time Warner Cable ad attack in NY...

Like people actually watch tv ad's? I dont.

grydlok

join:2004-01-06
Richmond, VA

No bill

I don't even get to view my bill.
NY Tel
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY

The Bill Looks Familiar

It looks exactly like a Verizon Wireless bill format.
Exactly.
Forums » Verizon Says They're Making Their Bills Simpler


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