SBC standard universal line charge

SBC standard universal line charge

Each year, I've filled out a form sent to me from SBC to request the reduced rate for universal phone line, for low income people. Until today, I had the impression that I was paying the reduced rate each month. Today, I learnt that I've been paying the full rate for the basic phone line ever since the service started. I've never been informed by SBC why they denied me the reduced rate and have rejected the forms that I filled and sent each year.

Today, after learning about the over charges, I asked the SBC representative why I had not been billed the reduced rate. She said my bill was consolidated - I.e., only the customers with unconsolidated bills may receive the reduced rate. So, I asked why hadn't SBC informed me of their policy and offered to unconsolidate my bill. She replied, it's not the company's responsibility but, rather, mine to dispute the charges and request SBC to send unconsolidated statements.

I find her response ridiculous because how would I have known to dispute something when I was under the impression that the rate I was paying was the reduced rate. Moreover, how would I have known about the fact that bills have to be unconsolidated?

So I asked her to credit my account for the period SBC had overcharged me. She refused to do so.

It seems that SBC and other phone companies are charging many customers the full rates for the universal line even though they are eligible for the reduced rate because they have low income.

Jaffer Q Click this link to e-mail the above consumer: Email User Consumer