I want to start off by saying I have been a customer service rep, and I don't blame the reps in this case, except maybe those who are working on commission and are willing to spin/and or lie about a product in order to get people to buy it (Not saying people who work on commission are evil; just that some are very willing to do devious things.)
I use the Washington Telephone Assistance Program, which is basically a government-sponsored discount for poor people. It includes a lower price for service and no The only company who accepts this service is Qwest (Isn't that convenient?). Though I'd heard bad things about them, I figured that if it were government sponsored they'd have to honor it, and so I wouldn't have as many problems.
Upon first calling, I was told my price for local service would be $2.00. I might have balked at the price, except that government services I receive give me a lot of other things that seem equally amazing. So I happily signed up. While signing up I was told I could choose three features for a lower price as well (I believe I chose caller ID as one of them.)
As it turns out, the WTAP program is supposed to have local service cost $8.00, and I don't know if that charges tax. It doesn't cover other items. If I had known that, I wouldn't have trusted the other rep who told me that it could cover long distance.instead of the $17.00 promised, I ended up paying about $30, more after tax. I called to cancel, and was informed that there wouldn't be any more charges related to the long distance service.
My most recent bill came, with a price tag of $27.00, along with listings of charges. There was a cancellation fee, which I wasn't informed of. A list of long distance phone calls is also on the bill, which shows why I'm being charged for long distance. However, as I was told there would be no further charges, I'm rather pissed off that there are charges.
I have now complained thoroughly, and the problem is being escalated. Which will doubtless do little, but it's worth a shot. I never complain for refunds.in this case, however, if I had known of any of the charges I would be receiving for any of this, I would only have paid for the local service. I can't say I'd have gone with a different service, as my main complaint is their inability to inform me of what I will be charged.
In conclusion, I don't recommend Quest, especially not for use with the WTAP program. However, if you will use them, stick with the local service and don't bother with the extras.
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