MCI Neighborhood Plan - signed up for $ 49.99 plan - billed more than that - received collection call on brand new account

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on January 21, 2003:

From: Michael Elicson [Email User] RE: MCI Neighborhood Plan - signed up for $ 49.99 plan - billed more than that - received collection call on brand new account

Dear Complaints.com, About 6 months ago I received a sales call from an MCI representative who was selling subscriptions to the MCI Neighborhood calling plan. The person was very polite and explained all of the wonderful features that were included for a flat fee of $49.99. It sounded like a reasonable plan, so I signed up and I was promised that my service would be changed to MCI within a week or so. About three weeks after the initial phone call I received a second call from MCI. This time the call is to collect on a past due balance on my just-opened account. I explained to the person that I had just signed up and there was no way that my bill was even due, let alone past due. The person was a bit short with me and suggested I call MCI's customer service department to straighten out my bill. The 800 number I was given by the first MCI operator connected me to some night club in New Jersey. Another week goes by and I am again contacted by MCI collections. I give them the same story as the first time around and they give me the phone number for the night club again. Shortly after this time, I receive my first bill and lo and behold the promised $49.99 per month plan cost me over $70.00. So I am a little miffed and I find the right number for MCI customer service and call to straighten out the problem.

The customer service rep. that I get can't explain why my bill isn't right and can't explain why their collections department can't get their own phone number right and on and on. I finally get her to credit my account for the difference. While I was on the phone with their customer service rep., I decided that I had had enough of their service and requested that I be returned to my previous carriers and that I absolutely want nothing to do with MCI. I am switched back and all seems well. A month or so after I switched away from MCI I get yet another collection call from MCI. The total due is way more than the original $49.99. I explain that I only used their service for one month and that their total was incorrect. I was rudely informed that the amount they had in their system was correct and that if I wanted to dispute the total, I should have done so before that time. I am determined to not pay the excess on this bill which is now accrued to about $130.00 for a single month of their service. Please be wary of any MCI solicitor who you have not requested to call as, based on my experience, they lack accountability and have proven to me that they misrepresent what they sell. Sincerely,

Michael Elicson