20090727Comment.pdf

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Jean Jewell
From:
Sent:
To:
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secretary
Saturday, July 25, 2009 5:24 PM
Barb Barrows; Jean Jewell
FW: Qwests Billng Practice Orwellan GAlli -7- 09 -03
From: CharlanerSMTP:CHARLANEYCâYAHOO. COMl
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 5:24:20 PM
To: secretary; op-edCâidaho-press.com
Subject: Qwests Biling Practice Orwellan
Auto forwarded by a Rule
Dear PUC and Idaho Press Tribune,
I was very pleased to see printed in the Press-Tribune a letter from an informed citizen anouncing the
upcoming Idaho Public Utilties Commission meeting on Qwest's biling policy(ies).
I refer to Qwests biling policy as "Orwellan". I make the analogy to Orwell's novel 1984 in which the
governng powers of the story make the rules diffcult to understand such that they actually confuse the reader
and make the wrter appear all powerful because "the leader" (customer service for Qwest) has to be consulted
constatly. Then when customer service is actually consulted-- in Qwest's case, as in the novel-- a nice voice
tells you "so sorr for the error" and it will be fixed on the next billng cycle--only not to appear on that cycle
and another consult has to be made. Like in Orwell's book, Qwest's bils are just confusing enough to make the
consumer not want to bother.
In my experience with Qwest, having had to move twce last year in the Caldwell area, each
disconnect/connect took 3 phone calls to customer service, each call lasting an average of38 minutes including
hold times. One order for disconnect was not even placed, although logged, then I had to argue to a different
deparent to correct the extra days I was erroneously biled. Sadly, I have more errors to describe but I do not
feel like wasting my time describing it fuer. I have the order/complaint numbers available upon request.
Each monthly statement has 5-7 pages, the same information is presented in different formats redundantly on
each page. There is no reason why the bils can't be simplified, they aren't fooling anyone by writing "Qwest
Bundle Savings" ad nauseum with a negative sign in front on every page. Doublespeak, anyone?
Qwest is the only public utility which prorates service and asks for a non-refundable deposit, also called an
activation fee. I can understand the activation fee, but prorating a utility is arogant and a shady business
practice in general. A cap should also be put on the activation fees, Qwest will find a way to jack up the price if
you tae away their prorating.
Many of you may have seen the documentary produced by a foreign fim team called "Statehouse" which
explored our American democracy in action here in Idaho and aired locally on PBS. At the time of fiming, one
senior legislator spoke of how disgusted he was by Qwest's aggressive lobbying to get Idaho's PUC to
deregulate the telephone utilty. He spoke in the fim of how it would be a great disservice to Idahoans to have
this large national corporation come in under it's misuse of the semantics "free enterprise" in a conservative
state and ultimately displace the Idaho consUmer of fair pricing. Indeed, this now retired senior legislator was
correct. Prior to deregulation, persons disabled, elderly, or impoverished receiving telephone assistace had
monthy bils that were affordable for them for local service and 911 access. At this date, these persons who
receive assistace have to pay an additional $25 each month for basic local and 911 access from a landline, on
top of the assistace money Qwest gets from the governent.
I consider myself a small business republican, and I feel many of us who are conservative are no longer fooled
by the manpulation of conservative phraseologies here in Idaho. We've seen real estate pimps use "property
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rights" and leave behind ruined agricultural land and we've seen top heavy corporations argue "free enterprise"
and outprice/outsource the local economy. Whatever comes next, Idahoans will suss it out.
Than you for your service to the Idaho people,
C. Simmet
Contact/verification info:
C. Simmet-Crusta
21017 Cottonwood Dr.
Greenleaf, ID 83626
[phone]--leave a message.
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