Do you still have a Bell landline phone? Rip off ??????

[nwf1946]

Look at Your monthly charges. Marketplace reported on its program last week that Bell Canada is still charging customers with their landline $2.70 a month or over $32 a year for absolutely nothing. They are charging $2.70 a month as a touchtone telephone surcharge and taking about $100, 000,000 a year from their customers. You cannot get anything except a touchtone from them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They try to use the excuse that the CRTC insists that they show this charge BUT they do not mention that the CRTC insists that they show the charge IF they charge you,,,,, not that they should charge you. Complain to them and your member of Parliament . Good example of a communication company ripping us off because they can and no one complains !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bell is also the main company that will not allow us to pick and choose our tv channels and insists on tv bundles where you maybe want just one of the channels.

[Shwa Girl]

Look at Your monthly charges. Marketplace reported on its program last week that Bell Canada is still charging customers with their landline $2.70 a month or over $32 a year for absolutely nothing. They are charging $2.70 a month as a touchtone telephone surcharge and taking about $100, 000,000 a year from their customers. You cannot get anything except a touchtone from them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They try to use the excuse that the CRTC insists that they show this charge BUT they do not mention that the CRTC insists that they show the charge IF they charge you,,,,, not that they should charge you. Complain to them and your member of Parliament . Good example of a communication company ripping us off because they can and no one complains !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bell is also the main company that will not allow us to pick and choose our tv channels and insists on tv bundles where you maybe want just one of the channels.

It's good that Bell is not the only game in town.
It's good that there are options.

[torontogal12]

My parents don't have a touch tone. It is possible to not get one.

[Ami1984]

I apologize for this But I am going to Rant in a rant, I hope you do not mind, Bell is the worst company to deal with EVER! My DH was with them close to 6 years before we were together together, then I eventually convinced him to switch then all of a sudden the are polite (cs sucks in my opinion) and all of a sudden after years of calling and trying to get our monthly cost down they jump on the band wagon and offer us the world, And the worst part is if we want phone internet and tv we have to go Back to them (we are moving to the sticks)

[FallenPixels]

Got rid of them for everything years ago, they suck, they overcharge even on the charges they should be charging and their CS is very lacking

Lots of new options out there without them

[erinjuly4]

I wish bell were better!! Man they suck! we had to switch from rogers to bell because we just moved to the sticks..they never installed stuff properly, missed installation dates, we can't talk on the phone without it cutting out the internet..it just sucks all around. I can't even get through to the cs because they don't understand me..and they jsut say wait a few mins and your internet will be up!! well waiting a few mins EVERY day is nuts!! I hate bell..i wish I didn't have to be with them!!

[nicolthepickle]

We have Bell/Aliant Home phone nothing else and it's no problem for us.

[Mrs H]

I find Bell soooooooo frustrating to deal with. We have the most basic land line telephone from them - no features, no long distance. I noticed our bill was up over $30/month, so I called them and magically, they cut our monthly bill by more than half. While I was happy for the discount, it made my head want to explode off my shoulders when I thought of all the money we had wasted before I made that phone call. I tell everyone I know now that is with Bell to just call them. I didn't threaten to leave or anything. Just asked for a discount.

I usually spend a couple hours on the phone with them every few months trying to fix things on our bill or have services repaired/restored - which I find to be the bane of my existence. My advice to anyone calling Bell - write down EVERYTHING they promise you; get names; check your bill. Oh...and I have found it way less frustrating to use their online instant messaging service for customer service. I do not have to listen to them call me M'am every two seconds.

[Shwa Girl]

I can't even get through to the cs because they don't understand me..

Try calling in the day rather than in the evening. Press the option for "French". You usually get a bilingual customer service person, located in Canada. We have done this and tell them this is the only way we can get someone in Canada that we can converse with. They are usually pleasant and are EXTREMELY helpful, IMHO.

[anisa]

2 words... magic jack

[ninna]

Totally agree with anisa on this one. Magic Jack is the way to go.

For what I used to pay Bell for 1 month, I can now have service with magic jack for 1 year. When we called to cancel the land line, Bell's best argument was "but you won't have 911 service anymore if you switch to magic jack!" Made me laugh--and DH actually said to them, "That's all you've got? I can be located with my cell phone to within 1 metre of where I'm standing using satellite technology that's built in on my cell phone and you think I should pay 50/month (by the time it's all said and done) for 911 service? Screw you!"

Oh yeah...and that whole "touch tone" crap has burned my butt for years. I remember asking a CS rep from Bell to just cancel the stupid touch tone "service' and let me go with a rotary dial phone instead. They said, "can't do that. You have to get touch tone now. The other isn't available." Always made me wonder then...why are they charging a premium for something that is the only option????? Gah. Greedy little bloodsuckers!

[shellylynn39]

I got rid of my land line in December. I called in October, but they had to have one month notice to scam you out of another month bill. They can certainly get it cut off and turned back on in seconds, so that is just their way of milking you for one more month.
The only time I miss my land line is when I can't find my cell and want to call it .

[theweaves_dad]

I switched from Bell to Rogers 3 years ago when Rogers offered me a great package. We got digital tv, phone and my cell for one price. They included all the boxes, 2 of them HD and one is a HDPVR, for free for the three years.

The trouble started last year... they sent me a notice saying that my contract was expiring as of XX date.It told me to call to renew at a new promo rate. The trouble was, I got it when both Chris and my wife were in hospital and it got overlooked. I was 2 days late when I phoned to talk to them, and they basically told me it was too late now, I could not get my deal back. I had to start paying for the boxes. My bill almost doubled just because of that! Also I forget what happened, I added something and they added a year back on all of the contracts!T

Then Chris declared bankruptcy and put his Rogers cell account as a creditor. They kept sending him notice after notice saying he owed money. He kept phoning and telling him to contact his bankruptcy trustee, who had sent the information five time already!

Then in October, my one credit card had expired and I overlooked updating Rogers with the new expiry date. Of course the payment failed and I did not notice until someone said they could call me on my cell. I tried it and it said my phone was suspended???? It was FOUR DAYS late!!! It took over ONE HOUR on the phone, finally they fixed it... or so I thought... When the next bill came, it did not have a payment and said I was in arrears!!! Back on the phone, again over one hour.... finally they say "OH, last months payment went towards your son's account as it is in arrears more then yours. I asked them who told them they could use my credit card for his debt? They said something abouut the accounts having the same address. I said "So what? He is paying rent, he is 38, I don't support him!". I finally had to call my credit card company, dispute the charge, which CANCELLED THE CARD and I had to get a new one then update everything with everyone!!!

Chris got out of bankruptcy in March and still got another notice from Rogers that month!!! Seeing as it almost the end of April, maybe they finally got the hint?

Anyways, ALL of the Rogers contracts are up in August. That is when the hard bargaining starts. I will consider staying with Rogers, but it will be a lot better deal then this one!

I do like the Rogers One Number, I can make long distance calls on my laptop free now... I want to get rid of the landline, but since Chris is not allowed a cell or the computer, that basiccally elminates that option!! If he does get that changed, I would drop the landline since Rogers said we could port our phone number over to the cell number. Alot less people to tell the new number to that way!

I really don't think it matters much. Pick your poison, Bell or Rogers... they got you coming and going.

[MortgageQueen]

HATE Bell. We are wireless and happy for it. They are so arrogant. If I never have to deal with them again, I'll be a happy girl.

[hollyquaiscer]

When you call Bell, the agents who answer at the call center don't have the authority to do anything. Everything has to be by the script written for them. The very first time you request something and they tell you NO, get their name and employee number, the ask to speak to there supervisor. I'm not putting these guy's down, they just can't authorize anything. If you get a NO from the supervisor, do the same thing, name and employee number, then ask for their manager. They will typically tell you their manager isn't in, just tell them thats fine, I will expect a call back from them within the next 24 hours, give them the best number to reach you at and wait for the call. Typically the manager miraculously appears and returns your call within an hour or so. I have done this in the past, probably at least 4 times and have ALWAYS gotten what I wanted. The satellite/cable/phone/cell world is very competative and they know it. Just remember that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar! As far as the bill going up and up and us not adding any new services, what I have found lately is that (at least with Shaw) they will offer everyone a FREE TRIAL on whatever (a new tv channel, a new phone feature). At the end of the trial period, instead of us having to call and add that feature if we want it, they now add it automatically, and if you DON'T want it, you have to call and cancel it within 10 days or you need to give them 30 days notice. I check my bill very carefully every month, and having had that happen, always have to go through the chain of command, but do get it cancelled, have all fees reversed and they even give me something for my time We have to use Bell for our satelite on our RV as it works in Texas, Florida or anywhere in between. They will refund or do the changes you want, if you are reasonable, you just have to get the correct person.

Sorry to all of you that are having issues with them. I watched a program not to long ago and Bell is being forced to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars to customers with respect to a different fee they had on their bills that was illegal. Makes a person wonder doesn't it.