A new notice came out titled "News You Can Use" that includes 4 rate changes. Our featured rate hike notification to you says:
"Effective 6/1/07, the monthly rate for Non-Published listings excluded from White Page Directories will increase from $0.14 to $1.00 per month. Non-Published service for listings excluded from White Pages Directories and calls to Directory Assistance, will increase from $0.28 to $1.25 per month. For more information, please call an AT&T Service Representative at 1-800-288-2020. Thank you."
The California Public Utilities Commission has given AT&T carte blanche to raise rates not mandated by the government---rates that go in the company's pockets. Why? Because the CPUC claims there is so much competition that people are free to change carriers. With all of the mergers allowed, there are fewer carriers. Plus, not all carriers serve all areas. So, where's the market competition in our choice of companies? We have SBC/AT&T and Cingular as one company, Sprint/Nextel and Verizon/MCI. That pretty much sums up the major carriers. When you find out where the market competition is, please let us know.
UCAN Advice: UCAN feels you should let the company publish your listing because anyone can do paid and unpaid searches on the Internet now for this information---published or non-published numbers and addresses. A $.56 and $.97 increase would cost you an additional $1.53 per month. We wonder what the sudden cost increase to the company forced this much of a rate hike when AT&T has provided this service for many years without such an overwhlemingly blatant display of finding ways to make you pay more!
Note: Another rate hike included in this notice that goes into the company's pocket is: "Effective 6/10/07, the Late Payment Charge will increase from 1.5% of the unpaid balance to $5.50 plus 1% of the unpaid balance. The Late payment Charge only applies to accounts with unpaid balances of $20 or more.
On April 3, 2007, the Federal Subscriber Line Charge for all Residential and Business customers increased. Lifeline customer continue to receive credit for this charge. A government mandated increase is the Universal Service Fee and went into effect on 4/3/07. It supports telecom needs of low-income households, consumers living in high-cost areas, schools, libraries and rural hospitals.