SBC Southwestern Bell
Corp. Ripoff!"Free" long distance for $20/month added to your phone bill

SBC (Southwestern Bell Corp.) a phone company serving the texas gulf coast area has this ad running: "Sign up for FREE 24/7 "UNLIMITED" L/D ANYWHERE IN THE USA FOR $20/MONTH ADDED TO YOUR MONTHLY PHONE BILL."

When the sales person sells this contract to you, one is not told you can not use this service for FAX machines, computer link to your IP, or anything that has a digital dial tone, and etc.in my case, I live outside the houston area, and needed this service because all my calls are toll calls. (I live in a small town west of houston 40 miles.)

I needed to drop the metro line because the cost was so high, (I was paying $90 month), so I took SBC up on their advertised offer and picked up this new service for a total of $56/month. Makes sense right? Wrong!

Once they find out you are using this for your IP connection (remember they never tell you at the time you sign up this offer has MAJOR service restrictions) they cut off your L/D service and charge you up to $. 11 cent per minute... HOW???

You are not told of the cut off of the L/D service by phone, but rather by letter, and by the time you rec'v their letter you've run up a $300-$400 bill for L/D depending on how much time one stays on the computer (in my case it was over $350), then they turn you in to the credit companies if you do not pay it, and turn your phone off completely. RIP-OFF.

I understand the FED's are looking at them for deceptive advertisement. If signing up for this service, make sure you understand all the rules and restrictions, for they do not volunteer this info as you are signing up. Nice way to RIP YOU OFF ISN'T IT?

Company: SBC Southwestern Bell
Country: USA
State: Texas
City: Houston
Address: 111 Anytown, Texas

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