Premium Service Termination Charge example essay topic
374 words
10th March 2005 The Verizon EDM A Center. O. Box 1915 Beltsville, MD 20705-1915 To Whom It May Concern: I am writing in reference to international charges posted on my most recent phone bill (Billing date - 02/20/05). To explain the situation, I traveled to Manchester, England on January 22, 2005 through February 8, 2005. On January 25, 2005, my wife called to inquire about international calling plans offered by Verizon. She was informed by a Verizon employee that the calling plan cost $4/month and that would entitle her to $. 08/minute to England. Based on this fact, we used the calling plan for the rest of the time I was England, assuming we were paying $. 08/minute. However, when we received the phone bill, the charges for all calls made through the calling plan were charged at $. 30/minute. When I contacted Verizon regarding the difference, I was told that each call had a premium service termination charge attached to it of $.
22/minute. My problem with this situation is that my wife was never informed that a premium service termination charge existed. When she signed up for the plan, a Verizon employee specifically told her that all calls to England would be $. 08/minute.
She was not given a qualifier stating that there was a possibility the charges may be higher due to a premium service termination. Furthermore, we never received literature explaining the details of the plan. Had we known that charges could have been $. 30/minute, we would have used an alternative calling plan with much lower rates. Due to false information, or a lack of important information, given to us by a Verizon employee, we were overcharged $89.76 (408 minutes x $.
22/minute). I ask that you refund us that difference to rectify your mistake. I have already called the Verizon hotlines and even though everybody I speak with agrees that Verizon was wrong in this situation, nobody will refund the money. I am in a service industry myself and when I am wrong, I don't make the customer pay for my mistake.
Sincerely, James Lipton.
