California
My long distance or local telephone company was changed without my consent.
This is called "slamming." Slamming is when your local, local toll, or long distance toll phone service has been switched from one phone company to another without your permission. It’s illegal and there are remedies available that take the profit out of slamming. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) enforces the Federal Communications Commission rules on slamming which make it simpler for you to pursue resolution of these complaints.
Here’s what you do:
(1) You do not have to pay anyone for service up to 30 days after you have been slammed (if a long distance phone company slammed you, that means you do not have to pay the long distance portion of the bill). But after the 30 days, you must pay your authorized company and at that company’s rates – not the rates of the company that slammed you.
(2) If you have paid the bill, the company that slammed you pays your authorized company 150 percent of what you paid and then your authorized company will reimburse you 50 percent.
(3) Call your authorized company and tell the company that you have been slammed. Tell the company that you want to be changed back to the same service you had before and to remove all charges associated with restoring your service.
(4) File a complaint with the CPUC.
The authority to change your telephone provider is governed by California Public Utilities Code § 2889.5.
My bill is unclear and I think I was charged for services I didn't order or consent to.
This is called "cramming." To avoid this probem, California Public Utilities Code § 2890 requires that each product or service you are being billed for is clearly and consicely described on your bill. If you believe your phone company has charged you for services you did not order, contact the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
My telephone company won't provide service to my home.
Am I entitled to 911 service if I disconnect my wireline account?
Under California's Public Utilities Code, section 2883, every new and existing residential wireline telephone connection must have access to 911 services whether or not an account has been established. In addition, 911 services may not be terminated for nonpyament of any delinquent account.
Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2006-12-31 01:01. My elderly mother has a 1200.00 phone bill from ATT
A vising grandaughter, used her lap computer at my mothers home.
The dial up number she used was long distance. The grandaughter did not have authoization to use the phone line. Now ATT will not reverse the unathorized 1200.00 charges. My elderly mother makes less than $800 per month on social security, she can't pay this bill. What can we do?????????