ma31913

I called SBC-DSL retention department a few munites ago to get my service rerated to $ new 14.95 plan that came out today. I switched to $ old 19.95 only two months ago from $26.95 but they switched me to the new 14.95 plan with a new 1-year contract starting next month. Great!

Yeah, I found out what the FUSF charge is. This is what they say on their DSL ad site in very tiny letters:"You will also be charged a monthly FUSF (Federal Universal Service Fund) cost recovery fee to help cover charges from our data transport supplier pursuant to state and federal telecom regulations. This fee is not a tax or government required charge." Strange, they never charged it before when I was paying $26.95/month. I read in the newspaper SF Chronicle sometime ago that phone and cable companies can add new charges without government regulations to make up for some "extra" cost that happen to them. So they put it on their customers to pay for whatever they feel they need to make up for. Certainly $19.95/month looks and sounds better than $21.42/month to consumers. My monthly DSL payment has gone down a little; so I'm not really complaining about the FUSF charge. I just don't like the way they advertise the $19.95 deal so openly and then add the extra charge in an undertone

This is a followup story to the $19.95 deal that I got with Yahoo. My new DSL monthly payment is not $19.95 but $21.42! They are adding a new obsecure charge called "FUSF Pass-Through Fee" for $1.47 every month. How sneaky! Does anyone know what it is?

Thanks, babylon5, for the above information. It worked!!!! My contract was about to expire in one month, and was received both a letter and email from the SBC Yahoo DSL that I'd be given an opportunity to renew a new 1-year contract at the same current rate of 26.95/month. Before reading your post, I knew about the $ 19.95 deal for new subscribers, and tried to get on the same deal via their customer service representative, but was told it was only for new subscribers. I suggested that they be kind to their loyal customers like me (I've had their DSL over 3 years) and offer the same $19.95 deal. The respresentative (she) sympathized with me but said there was nothing she could do for me expect offering me the deals that were placed with my account (i.e. $26.95 same rate offer for another year or $19.95 with a long distance services package). So I thought I would renew my contract for another year at the current 26.95, as they offered me. BUT THEN I READ YOUR POST! I called the SBC Yahoo again and spoke with the cancellation department this time. They (she) right away gave me a new contract at $19.95 stand-stand alone, effectively this month (rather than awaiting the expiration of my current contract in April--they'll prorate differences in the service fees.) Thank you again, babylon5, for sharing your success story. Thank you, the administrator rossMAN, for the GottaDeal forum. I gotta deal!!!