My cell phone bill arrived today.  I examined each of the three pages carefully, as I do each month, to see what exactly the charges cover. And here is what I have concluded. Cellular companies are strictly in the business of making money. There is precious little of what I consider value for service.

My bill breaks down something like this:

• Monthly contract fee: $19.95
• System access charge:$ 7.50
• 2 calls:                        $   .50
• Fed/Prov Sales taxes   $ 4.90
• Total                           $32.85

By my calculations, that works out to $16.475 per call. Am I wrong or does that seem a trifle excessive for 2 phone calls? I called Customer Service to see if there was a better option than my current service. I don’t mind paying for something I use but…

It seems that the cell service provider offers a Prepaid Mobility service–only it is not in my area. The company is planning to introduce that service in the future although no timeline is forthcoming. Anyway, I wouldn’t be eligible for that service until my current contract runs out in another year and a half. It appears I am stuck with a service that I use rarely and pay greatly for. Hmmmm! I’m thinking that I didn’t really think this through before I got involved. It strikes me as extravigant for emergency use only.

I did ask about the Prepaid Mobility service though in anticipation that I might switch to it when and if the service comes to my area and my current contract is done. It works like this. I buy XX minutes of call time. There are no other fees. Now that sounds more like it! Right? Not! I have to use up the time in 30 days. I have to be certain to call someone I don’t want to talk to just so I can get the value of the money I spent on the minutes.

“Can I carry the unused portion of my calling time to the next month?” I asked. The response may as well have been something like, “Are you daft?” Apparently one cannot on pain of … well, suffice to say, I cannot carry forward unused minutes. My understanding is this: I buy X minutes of call time. If I don’t use that time in 30 days the company gets to keep my money and I get… What exactly is it that I get? Hmmmmmmm?

Am I the only one who finds this somewhat strange?                    GRB